Scribes unite over order

Journalists at the meeting at the Press Club of India in   New Delhi on Tuesday. (PTI)

Pheroze L. Vincent, TT, New Delhi, Apr 04, 2018: Senior journalists and those representing their press clubs lashed out at the government on Tuesday for trying to unilaterally suspend the accreditation of reporters accused of filing "fake news" as the fraternity united to oppose what they called mala fide curbs.

Various bodies, led by the Press Club of India, have decided to consider legal recourse after an open house in the evening at the club's courtyard.

The India Today group's consulting editor, Rajdeep Sardesai, said the "media today is more powerful than we think".

"The bad news is that we had no knowledge what the information and broadcasting ministry was up to.... It was bad in law and mala fide and would not have stood (legal) scrutiny. It is a cause of worry that the government even considered it," he said.

"Fake news is a problem that can't be solved by governments that sponsor web sites and channels that publish fake news. When an editor of a web site was arrested for fake news and spreading hatred, he was supported by Union ministers," he added, referring to a recent case in Karnataka.

Sardesai, a member of the Editors Guild, also called upon the media to ostracise "serial offenders" guilty of spreading fake news and legally challenge the reconstitution of the Central Press Accreditation Committee (CPAC) and the Press Council of India (PCI).

"The Editors Guild's recommendations of members to the PCI were sent back.... You can't fill the CPAC with lackeys and expect us to stand by. We must go to court," he said.

In a statement, the Guild said: "The recent reconstitution of the Press Council of India has been done in a manner that gives rise to doubts over the independence of the institution and its ability to play neutral umpire. The Guild's nominees to the Council were disallowed on technical grounds.

"Also, the recent reconstitution of the Central Press Accreditation Committee has raised questions over the non-transparent processes being followed by the I&B Ministry as the Guild's application was ignored. The Guild also points out that 'fake news' is a process that cannot be left to governments to initiate action when, on many occasions, the governments and the parties in power - both at the Centre and states - are charged with propagating fake news themselves."

The Guild, the statement added, was willing to work with the Centre, state governments and media bodies to "define what can be constituted as 'fake news' and take action against those found guilty of propagating such news without compromising on the independence and freedom of the media".

NDTV India's senior executive editor Ravish Kumar said: "This was done to stop journalists from entering ministries before the polls." Journalists cannot enter ministry buildings without accreditation.

A joint statement by the Federation of Press Clubs of India, Indian Women's Press Corps, Press Association and several journalist unions said: "There is ample scope for introspection and reform of journalistic practices, yet, a government fiat restraining the fourth pillar of our democracy is not the solution."

Press Club president Gautam Lahiri said a general body meeting of all the signatories would be convened to decide the future course of action.