After Center announced 'anti-fake news' rule, PM intervenes puts down Smriti Irani's decision
Squashing the Smriti Irani Ministry's controversial 'Fake-News' PM Narendra Modi issued a press release regarding the fake news be withdrawn and the matter should only be addressed in Press Council of India.
In its four-para statement that is now withdrawn, the government said it had amended accreditation guidelines for journalists after noting "increasing instances of fake news in various mediums including print and electronic media", reported NDTV.
#FLASH: Prime Minister has directed that the press release regarding fake news be withdrawn and the matter should only be addressed in Press Council of India. pic.twitter.com/KVUBeAoDhC
— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2018
The Information and broadcast ministry on Monday came up with new rules against the fake news and news guidelines for journalists stating that the accreditation of a journalist could be permanently cancelled if the person is found creating or propagating any kind of fake news and the journalist could be blacklisted for life.
Reacting to the guidelines, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel questioned the move and said that this rules can be misused by the establishment. Reacting on the issue, he said that who will decide what constitutes fake news.
“I appreciate the attempt to control fake news but few questions for my understanding:
1.What is guarantee that these rules will not be misused to harass honest reporters?
2.Who is going to decide what constitutes fake news ? ½,” Patel tweeted
Meanwhile, Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta described the fake-news rule as a "breathtaking assault on mainstream media."
First published: 3 April 2018, 12:49 IST