While the International Press Institute (IPI) has slammed the Indian government’s contentious guidelines on fake news, which had to be withdrawn, as a “misguided policy” that would have severely impaired the freedom of journalists and their ability to report on crucial issues, the Press Council of India (PCI) had endorsed the Ministry’s measures.
The Vienna-based global organisation of editors, journalists and media executives said the new norms would have deprived journalists of government accreditation for publishing what it termed “fake news”.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B) had issued a statement on Monday, announcing that it would withdraw accreditation of journalists found to have published or broadcast fake news.
PCI Chairman Justice CK Prasad, separately, said “Is there fake news or not? If the answer is ‘yes’, why should anybody support spread of fake news? And if the government takes steps to remedy this wrong, what is incorrect about it.”
The now-withdrawn order had given the PCI and the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) the responsibility of adjudicating on complaints of “fake news”, media reports said.
The Indian Newspaper Society (INS), an apex body of the print media industry, has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to turn down the “stringent guidelines” on fake news issued by the information and broadcasting ministry.
“After widespread criticism by journalists and opposition (parties), who realised this was an attempt to curb and control the freedom of press, the prime minister finally withdrew these draconian guidelines on fake news,” the INS said.
“The INS is also anguished over the recent unreasonable and biased decision of the Chairman, PCI, while selecting the names of persons to be nominated as members for a fresh term,? the INS added.
Terming the move as “muzzling of the free press, Congress leader Manish Tewari wrote in a daily newspaper, “The government has just fired a warning shot across the bows knowing fully well that the guidelines were anchored in quicksand.”
In a press release on Tuesday night, the I&B ministry announced punitive measures like cancellation of accreditation to contain fake news, a decision which was dubbed by journalist and opposition parties as an attempt to curb press freedom ahead of the general elections due by 2019.
“PM has directed that the press release regarding the fake news be withdrawn and the matter should only be addressed by the Press Council of India,” a senior PMO official said. The Prime minister was also of the view that the government should not interfere in the matter, the official added.
Amending the guidelines for accreditation of journalists, the ministry reportedly announced norms to contain fake news which said if the publication or telecast of fake news was confirmed, accreditation of the journalist would be suspended for six months in case of first violation and for one year in case of a second violation.
In case of a third violation, his or her accreditation would be cancelled permanently, the ministry had said in a press release.
The I&B ministry decision drew sharp criticism from opposition parties as well as from press bodies.
The Congress reportedly said fascism has touched its peak as it sought to “muzzle” independent voices through “fallacious” rules. The AAP and CPI-M likened the situation to the ’emergency’.
The I&B ministry norms had also said any complaint of instances of fake news would be referred to the Press Council of India (PCI), if it pertains to print media, and to the News Broadcasters Association (NBA), if it relates to the electronic media, for determination of the news item being fake or not.
This determination is expected to be completed within 15 days by these agencies, the ministry reportedly said.
Once the complaint is registered for determination of fake news, the accreditation of the journalist, whoever created and/or propagated the fake news, will be suspended till the determination regarding the fake news is made, the ministry had said.
