Fake news order withdrawn: Did Modi make Smriti Irani a scapegoat?

By withdrawing its controversial notification about fake news, the Narendra Modi government appears to have responded to the severe backlash it triggered. However, the way the withdrawal is being sold as a wise move by the prime minister smacks of a conspiracy to deflect some of the criticism aimed at the government.

The notification came late Monday evening and was welcomed by immediate angry responses from several senior journalists. Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani also engaged with some senior journalists on twitter on the issue.

By Tuesday morning, newspapers, news television channels and news websites had already come out with sharp responses. An “emergency meeting” of journalists had been convened at the press club in Delhi to deliberate on the notification. 

Soon, Irani indicated scope for review through two tweets, inviting “journalist body or organisation/s” to give suggestions to fight fake news and “uphold ethical journalism”.

Within less than half an hour of those tweets, some journalists and media organisations broke the news about the withdrawal of the notification, on Twitter. Interestingly, these updates specifically mentioned the PM having called for withdrawal of the notification.

There was no formal word from the PMO or any other government department that it was the PM, specifically, who wanted the order rescinded. 

PIB came out with a formal announcement only about an hour later, but even that release did not mention the PM. “PIB Press release titled “Guidelines for Accreditation of Journalists amended to regulate Fake News” issued on 2 April, 2018 stands withdrawn”, it merely stated.

It appears that an attempt is being made to distance PM Modi from the controversy. Theses attempts suggest that Irani's ministry may have issued the controversial notification without the PM's consent and when the latter got wind of it, he quickly got it recalled.

If that is indeed the case, that would be a first for this government which is said to have been always been in Modi's tight grip. Throughout the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) four years in power, the government, its ministers as well as the ruling party have given the impression that PM maintains his watchful gaze on every move, every individual, every file and every noting in the government.

Are we now being asked to believe that Modi's grasp on the government is loosening? Are Cabinet ministers now exercising autonomy and announcing measures without discussing them with Modi?

Interestingly, it was way back on 17 March that Irani had first revealed the government's intention to take steps to regulate fake news. She had talked about only online content then, saying the Modi government was working on a “code of conduct” and possibly a legislation too.

“Online is an ecosystem where legislation in terms of news, legislation in terms of broadcast content material, is not very clear. That is something that the ministry is currently undertaking, and in conversations with stakeholders”, she had said then.

In any case, Modi government's media strategy has been clear from a long time, wherein the PM will not interact with the press, his ministers and party spokespersons will face the press but will be dismissive of critical questions, media organisations will be controlled or nudged to take a pro-government and anti-opposition line and public service broadcasters will relentlessly air government propaganda. 

The I&B Ministry's now-withdrawn order appears very much in sync with this strategy, even if fear of a backlash has made the government go back on it. It is the government, and not any particular minister, that stands exposed. The beast has bared its fangs once, it can do the same again and it might not withdraw them the next time. Free press has been put on notice.