Lok Sabha Question No. 3349 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-12
Subject: Attacks on Journalists
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Sukanta Majumdar, Raja Amareshwara Naik, Khagen Murmu, Vinod Kumar Sonkar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3349 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.07.2019

## ATTACKS ON JOURNALISTS

3349.  DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK SHRI KHAGEN MURMU SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION & BROADCASTING be pleased to state:-

- (a)  Whether  incidents  of  attacks  on  journalists  have  been  on  the  rise  in  the country, if so, the details thereof during the last three years, State-wise;
- (b)  The measures adopted/steps taken by the Government to ensure the safety and freedom of journalists and freedom of press;
- (c) Whether India has  dropped  down  by  two  ranks  to  140  in  the  World  Press Freedom Index, 2019, compiled by 'Reporters without Borders';
- (d)  Whether Press Council of India has constituted any committee to study rising incidence  of  attacks on  journalists, if so, the  details  thereof  and  the findings/recommendations  of  the  committee  along  with  the  action  taken thereon; and
- (e) Whether Government has any scheme for welfare of Journalist/Media personnel, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE & MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING {SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR}

- (a) According to Ministry of Home  Affairs, National Crime Records  Bureau (NCRB) has not published data on attacks in respect  of  separate  categories  of  professionals,  including journalists. However, as per monthly information collected for cases registered under section 325, 326, 326A & 326B IPC for attacks on journalists,  State  wise  information  for  the  period 2014-2016 is given at Annexure.
- (b) In pursuance of its policy to uphold the freedom of press, the Government does not interfere in the functioning of newspaper industry. The Government is committed to ensure the  right  to  freedom  of  speech  and  expression  enshrined under the Article 19 of the Constitution of India.  Therefore, there is no pre-censorship in Press in India. Press Council of India  (PCI),  a  statutory  autonomous  body,  has  been  set  up under  the  Press  Council  Act,  1978  with  twin  objectives  to preserve  the  freedom  of  the  Press  and  to  maintain  and improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India. Government attaches highest importance to the safety and security to every citizen of the country including journalists.  'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects under  the  Seventh  Schedule  (List  II)  to  the  Constitution  of India and State Governments are responsible for prevention, detection,  registration  and  investigation  of  crime  and  for prosecuting the criminals through the law enforcement agencies. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories to the State and UTs from time to time to maintain law and order, which are available on its website viz., mha.gov.in.  An advisory on safety of journalist was issued to States/UTs on 20 th  October, 2017.
- (c) The Government has come across media reports carrying the result of survey 'World Press Freedom  Index  2019' by 'Reporters without Borders'. However, Press Council of India (PCI)  has  raised  its  concern  about  the  authenticity  and credibility  of  the  reports,  the  basis  on  which  the  ranking  is done, as also the methodology used to rank the nations.
- (d) The Press Council of India had constituted a Sub-Committee to  examine  the  issue  of  Safety  of  Journalists.  The  report  of Sub-Committee submitted on 23.7.2015 carried various recommendations  with  regard  to  safety  and security of Journalists.  The  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  examined  the said report and opined that the existing laws are adequate for protection of the citizens, including journalists.
- (e) Ministry of Information & Broadcasting implements a 'Journalist  Welfare  Scheme'  to  provide  one  time  ex-gratia relief  on  urgent  basis  to  journalists  or  their  families  under extreme  hardship  on  account  of  death  of  journalists  and  to the  journalists  in  case  of  permanent  disability,  major  listed ailments  and  in  case  of  accidents  causing  serious  injuries necessitating hospitalization.

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Annexure referred to in reply to Lok Sabha Un-Starred Question No. 3349 for answer on 12.07.2019.

State/UT wise cases registered (CR) for attacks on media persons (under section 325, 326, 326A & 326B IPC) during 2014-16

| Sl No.                                | State/UT                              | 2014                                  | 2015                                  | 2016                                  |
|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|                                       |                                       | CR                                    | CR                                    | CR                                    |
| 1 2                                   | Andhra Pradesh Arunachal Pradesh      | 4 0                                   | 1 0                                   | 6 0                                   |
| 3                                     | Assam                                 |                                       |                                       |                                       |
| 4                                     |                                       | 2                                     | 0 0                                   | 2                                     |
| 5                                     | Bihar                                 | 22                                    | 1                                     | 0 0                                   |
| 6                                     | Chhattisgarh                          | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 7                                     | Goa Gujarat                           | 0 3                                   | 0                                     | 1                                     |
| 8                                     | Haryana                               | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 9                                     |                                       |                                       |                                       | 0                                     |
|                                       | Himachal Pradesh                      | 0                                     | 0                                     |                                       |
| 10                                    | Jammu & Kashmir                       | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 11 12                                 | Jharkhand                             | 3                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 13                                    | Karnataka                             | 0                                     | 0 0                                   | 2                                     |
|                                       | Kerala                                | 0                                     |                                       | 1 24                                  |
| 14                                    | Madhya Pradesh                        | 7                                     | 19                                    |                                       |
| 15 16                                 | Maharashtra Manipur                   | 5 0                                   | 1 0                                   | 0 0                                   |
| 17                                    | Meghalaya                             | 1                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 18                                    | Mizoram                               | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 19                                    | Nagaland                              | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 20                                    | Odisha                                | 1                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 21                                    | Punjab                                | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 22                                    | Rajasthan                             | 0                                     | 5                                     | 0                                     |
| 23                                    | Sikkim                                | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 24                                    |                                       | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 25                                    | Tamil Nadu Telangana                  | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 26                                    | Tripura                               | 2                                     | 0                                     | 5                                     |
| 27                                    | Uttar Pradesh                         | 63                                    | 1                                     | 3                                     |
| 28                                    | Uttarakhand                           | 1                                     | 0                                     | 3                                     |
| 29                                    | West Bengal                           |                                       |                                       | NR                                    |
|                                       |                                       | NR                                    | NR                                    |                                       |
|                                       | Total (State)                         | 114                                   | 28                                    | 47                                    |
| 30                                    | A&N Islands                           | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 31                                    | Chandigarh                            | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 32                                    | D & N Haveli                          | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 33                                    | Daman & Diu                           | 0                                     | 0                                     | NR                                    |
| 34                                    | Delhi                                 | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 35                                    | Lakshadweep                           | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| 36                                    | Puducherry                            | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
|                                       | Total(UTs)                            | 0                                     | 0                                     | 0                                     |
| Source: National Crime Records Bureau | Source: National Crime Records Bureau | Source: National Crime Records Bureau | Source: National Crime Records Bureau | Source: National Crime Records Bureau |