"Nationalistic" Media Houses Like Republic TV Being Targeted By "Anti-National" Elements: Plea In SC Seeks Formulation Of Guidelines To File FIRs Against Journalists

A PIL has been moved before the Supreme Court seeking directions to prevent penal action against journalists basis any publication, telecast or airing of views in India.Republic TV & Zee Media have been impleaded in the plea, stating that "nationalistic" and "patriotic" media must not be gagged and suppressed by anti-national elements.The plea has been filed by a Lawyer Ghanshyam Upadhyay. ".seeking laying down of guidelines with regard to registration of FIR against journalists/ press/ media / their executives and investigation in respect thereof so as to ensure that the press/ media, which is the fourth pillar of democracy, is not subjected to suppression and oppression and their voice" - Excerpt of Plea Stating that actions taken against the print and electronic media adversely effects the Citizens right to information enshrined under Article 19A of the constitution, the plea seeks specific guidelines for taking adverse action against journalists for voicing their opinions. "To effectively exercise the right of free speech and expression and for forming opinion it is necessary to have impartial journalist in the country who can perform their duty without fear" The plea contends that when Zee News & Republic TV had posed "important" questions and relevant news vis-à-vis the responsibility of Tablighi Jamaat for spreading Coronavirus and silence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's silence on the Palghar Mob Lynching, "certain disgruntled elements with a view to silence them" lodged FIRs against them in different states across the country. ".at present even media seems to be divided in two groups inasmuch as while one group is that of a patriotic and nationalists and have been from time to time exposing the anti-national elements and their anti-national activities and sinister design of sabotaging and partitioning the country, however, the other group is acting on the lines of anti-national elements" - Plea Contends In this backdrop, the plea states that it is extremely essential that guidelines are formulated by the Government of India as mandatory sanction for registration of FIR against journalists, media houses, their executives in respect of offences punishable under sections 295A, 153, 153A, 153 B, 298, 500, 504, 505, 506 r.w.