Lok Sabha Question No. 49 (STARRED), answered on 2024-02-06
Subject: Justice for Journalists
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Behanan Benny, Kumbakudi Sudhakaran

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *49 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2024

## JUSTICE FOR JOURNALISTS

## *49. SHRI BENNY BEHANAN: SHRI KUMBAKUDI SUDHAKARAN:

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

- (a) the  manner  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  speedy  justice  and compensation to several incarcerated journalists who have been unfairly and illegally arrested under sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA);
- (b) the  reasons  for  India's  constant  decline  and  low  performance  in  Global  Press Freedom indices and the steps taken thereof; and
- (c) the  steps  taken  to  secure  the  financial  independence  of  news  organisations  heavily dependent on corporate advertisement revenue or controlled by large conglomerates?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

- (a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *49 TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.02.2024 ON JUSTICE FOR JOURNALISTS

- (a): 'Police'  and  'Public  Order'  are  State  subjects  under  the  Seventh  Schedule  of  the Constitution  of  India  and  State  Governments  are  responsible  for  prevention,  detection  and investigation  of  crimes  and  for  prosecuting  the  criminals  through  their  law  enforcement agencies.

Central Government attaches highest importance to the safety and security of all citizens of  the  country  including  journalists.  The  existing  laws  for  protection  of  citizens  also  cover journalists. There are adequate statutory safeguards in the UAPA, to prevent misuse of the law.

Ministry of Home Affairs has also issued specific advisories to States and UTs on safety of  journalists  from  time  to  time.  Advisory  on  safety  of  journalist  has  been  issued  on  20th October, 2017 requesting the State Governments to strictly enforce the law to ensure the safety and security of media persons, which is available on the website www.mha.gov.in.

- (b): The World Press Freedom Index is brought out by the organization 'Reporters Without Borders'  headquartered  in  Paris,  France.  The  Government  does  not  agree  to  the  conclusions drawn  by  this  organization  with  regard  to  India's  ranking  in  the  index  for  various  reasons including very low sample size, little or no weightage to fundamentals of democracy, adoption of a methodology which is questionable and non-transparent, etc.
- (c): Press  Council  of  India  (PCI),  a  statutory  autonomous  body,  has  been  set  up  under  the Press Council Act, 1978 mainly to preserve the freedom of the Press and improve the standards of newspapers and news agencies in the country. The Government, however, does not interfere in  the  financial  and  operational  matters  of  the  media  houses,  which  function  in  competitive market driven environment.

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