On #NationalPressDay ensuring full freedom, Prakash Javadekar urges media to guard against ‘fake news’

New Delhi, November 16: In a world where media plays a strong role exhibiting as the fourth pillar, as a watchdog, it becomes very essential to comply by the ethics of journalism. On this occasion of National Press Day, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar Saturday said the media should guard against “fake news” and desist from providing any “disinformation and misinformation”.

 

Placing his idea and views, the I&B Union Minister Javadekar on his twitter account said that the current government was ensuring “full freedom” to the media. He compared this to when press freedom was “trampled upon” by the Congress during Emergency.

“On the occasion of #NationalPressDay – greetings to the Media fraternity. Press freedom is the essence of a vibrant democracy. This was trampled upon by the Congress during Emergency. We are ensuring full freedom to the press,” he tweeted.

 

In another tweet, he added, “Media can criticise but should guard against ‘fake news’ & desist from disinformation & misinformation. There is ethic for every freedom.”

 

The I&B Minister also addressed a press conference today, where he said, “After independence, press freedom came under threat in 1975. In the days of our student movement, we fought against it. Today the biggest crisis is fake news. Journalists should work for it. “There is a need for responsible freedom,” he added.

Chief Minister of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar also addressed the media on the eve of National Press Day on November 15, where he lauded the media fraternity for their services to the people, society and nation as a whole, while also adding that journalism is a 'strong pillar of democracy'.

Observed across India on November 16 every year, this day is dedicated to acknowledge and honour the Press Council of India, a statutory and quasi-judicial establishment that is responsible for keeping an eye on the quality of reportage provided by the Indian Press community. It is symbolic of freedom of press in the country and acts as a "moral" watchdog to ensure that journalistic objectivity is not compromised or harmed by external factors.