Lok Sabha Question No. 1072 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-22
Subject: Safety for Journalists and Reporters
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: NANABHAU FALGUNRAO PATOLE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1072

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 ND  NOVEMBER, 2016/AGRAHAYANA 1, 1938 (SAKA) SAFETY FOR JOURNALISTS AND REPORTERS

1072.  SHRI NANA PATOLE:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the  Government has taken note of the annual report of Reporters without Borders (2005) stating that India is the most unsafe place for journalists and reporters;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government in this regard;
- (c)  the total number of journalists and reporters killed/injured due to reporting about illegal mining, criminal gangs and their leaders during 2015, State-wise;
- (d) the number of persons arrested in this regard and the action taken against the guilty, State-wise; and
- (e)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  stop  such  cases  and  to  provide security to journalists and reporters?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

- (a)  to  (b):  The  Press  Council  of  India  in  the    Ministry  of  Information  & Broadcasting has taken note of the report of Reporters without Borders (RWB) and stated that the sources of RWB in India are ambiguous, and the sampling is quite  random  in  nature  which  does  not  portray  a  proper  and  comprehensive picture of freedom of the press in India.
- (c) to (d): State/UT wise cases registered and  persons arrested under attack on media persons (under section 325, 326, 326A & 326B IPC) during 2015   is at Annexure.

## LS.US.Q.No.1072 FOR 22.11.2016

(e): 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India and therefore, the State Governments are primarily responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and for  prosecuting  the  criminals  through  the  machinery  of  their  law  enforcement agencies, as also for protecting the life and property of the citizens including journalists.  Existing  laws  are  adequate  for  protection  of  citizens  including journalists.

## Annexure

State/UT wise cases registered and persons arrested under attack on  media persons (under section 325, 326, 326A & 326B IPC) during 2015  (provisional)

| Sl.No.   | State/UT          | Cases Reported   | Persons Arrested   |
|----------|-------------------|------------------|--------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 1                | 0                  |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 0                | 0                  |
| 3        | Assam             | 0                | 0                  |
| 4        | Bihar             | 0                | 0                  |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      | 1                | 0                  |
| 6        | Goa               | 0                | 0                  |
| 7        | Gujarat           | 0                | 0                  |
| 8        | Haryana           | 0                | 0                  |
| 9        | Himachal Pradesh  | 0                | 0                  |
| 10       | Jammu & Kashmir   | 0                | 0                  |
| 11       | Jharkhand         | 0                | 0                  |
| 12       | Karnataka         | 0                | 0                  |
| 13       | Kerala            | 0                | 0                  |
| 14       | Madhya Pradesh    | 19               | 32                 |
| 15       | Maharashtra       | 1                | 0                  |
| 16       | Manipur           | 0                | 9                  |
| 17       | Meghalaya         | 0                | 0                  |
| 18       | Mizoram           | 0                | 0                  |
| 19       | Nagaland          | 0                | 0                  |
| 20       | Odisha            | 0                | 0                  |
| 21       | Punjab            | 0                | 0                  |
| 22       | Rajasthan         | 5                | 0                  |
| 23       | Sikkim            | 0                | 0                  |
| 24       | Tamil Nadu        | 0                | 0                  |
| 25       | Telangana         | 0                | 0                  |
| 26       | Tripura           | 0                | 0                  |
| 27 Uttar | Pradesh           | 1                | 0                  |
| 28       | Uttarakhand       | 0                | 0                  |
| 29       | West Bengal       | NR               | NR                 |
|          | Total (State)     | 28               | 41                 |
| 30       | A & N Islands     | 0                | 0                  |
| 31       | Chandigarh        | 0                | 0                  |
| 32       | D & N Haveli      | 0                | 0                  |
| 33       | Daman & Diu       | 0                | 0                  |
| 34       | Delhi             | 0                | 0                  |
| 35       | Lakshadweep       | 0                | 0                  |
| 36       | Puducherry        | 0                | 0                  |
|          | Total (UTs)       | 0                | 0                  |
| Total    | (All India)       | 28               | 41                 |

Source : Monthly Crime

Statistics

Note: Data is provisional.

Note: Data of West Bengal has not received.

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