New Delhi:
National Press Day is being observed across India on Saturday. National Press Day is celebrated every year on November 16 to commemorate the establishment of the Press Council of India which was formed in 1966. National Press Day is the symbol of a free and responsible press in India as Press Council Of India acts as a moral watchdog for media. It also makes sure that the institution of the press should not be controlled by the influence or threats of any extraneous factors.
India in the Constitution provides "the right to freedom of speech and expression". However, freedom of the press is not specifically mentioned in article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar extended his greetings to the media fraternity on the occasion of National Press Day. In a tweet, Prakash Javadekar said, “On the occasion of #NationalPressDay - greetings to the Media fraternity. Press freedom is essence of a vibrant democracy. This was trampled upon by the #Congress during emergency. We are ensuring full freedom to the press.”
"Media can criticise but should guard against 'fake news' & desist from disinformation & misinformation. There is ethic for every freedom," the minister said in another tweet.
Take a look:
On the occassion of #NationalPressDay - greetings to the Media fraternity. Press freedom is essence of a vibrant democracy. This was trampled upon by the #Congress during emergency. We are ensuring full freedom to the press. pic.twitter.com/k3C8Hv9eHn
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) November 16, 2019
Media can criticise but should guard against 'fake news' & desist from disinformation & misinformation. There is ethic for every freedom.#nationalpressday
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) November 16, 2019
The Press Council of India started functioning on November 16, 1966. Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad is the Chairman of the Press Council of India. He has been appointed for a second term. The predecessor was Justice Markandey Katju (2011 – 2014).
Violence Against Journalists
According to the annual Reporters Without Borders analysis, violence against journalists including police violence, attacks by Maoist fighters and reprisals by criminal groups or corrupt politicians is one of the most striking characteristics of the current state of press freedom in India. A total of 48 journalists have been killed in India from 1992 till 2018.
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Rank of India
India has dropped two places on a global press freedom index to be ranked 140th out of 180 countries in the annual Reporters Without Borders analysis released in April.
