Al Haqeeqa
By Muslim Mirror Staff
In a recent all-India seminar organized by the Indian Journalists’ Union (IJU), journalists and experts from various fields came together to address the ongoing challenges faced by the media, advocating for the implementation of a central law aimed at safeguarding “truth-seeking journalists” and condemning the spread of fake news. The seminar also saw a collective call for the establishment of a media commission, a demand long-standing within the industry. Participants highlighted the need for a more authoritative body to oversee media affairs, as the Press Council of India, though constitutionally robust, is perceived to lack sufficient authority.
S N Sinha, the seminar coordinator and former president of IJU, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “The Indian Journalists’ Union organized a national-level seminar to deliberate on the challenges that are confronting the media at all levels on a daily basis and how to bring them within the ambit of the law to protect truth-seeking journalists and censure fake and paid news peddlers.”
During the three-hour brainstorming session, representatives from over a dozen states and Union Territories discussed a range of issues plaguing the media, encompassing print, electronic, and social media platforms. Their primary focus was to find effective ways to protect genuine journalists from harassment, intimidation, and violence, and to ensure their financial well-being.
“The seminar deliberated on the enactment of a media protection act and the constitution of a media commission,” Sinha added.
Speaking at the event, IJU President Srinivas Reddy addressed the current state of the media industry and expressed his support for the establishment of a media commission. He also expressed concern over the stagnation of the model media commission proposal presented by former Press Council of India chairman P B Sawant, which has yet to receive government attention.
Sinha further emphasized the IJU’s enduring commitment to press freedom and journalists’ rights, saying, “The IJU has now taken up cudgels demanding enactment of a media protection act and the constitution of a media commission to enforce it.”
Supreme Court lawyer Rakesh Khanna and former IPS officer-turned-rights activist Amod Kanth also voiced their support for the IJU’s demands. Kanth highlighted that the Indian government could take inspiration from states like Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, as well as Pakistan, which have already enacted laws to protect journalists.
“In fact, the media protection act of Pakistan is very important and should not be rejected just because it is from Pakistan. It gives the right to non-disclosure of source, talks about no enforcement of undue restrictions and also safeguards the reputation and privacy of others,” he Kanth said.
“It has the powers of a civil court that follows from the colonial IPC section 1908 and can be implemented here too,” he said.
