Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Allahabad High Court today banned the reporting of any news item by the print as well as the electronic media regarding the movement of Army troops. The court held that this is not a matter of the kind which should require public discussion at the cost of defence official secrecy and the security of the country.
The court dismissed a PIL filed by social activist and freelance journalist Nutan Thakur seeking a direction to the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) to conduct an inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the report published in The Indian Express on April 4,and to take action if it was false.
The Indian Express had reported that the movement of two Army units towards Delhi on the night of January 16-17,without notifying the government,triggered alarm in the government.
Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice Virendra Kumar Dixit of the Lucknow bench directed the union home secretary,the information & broadcasting secretary,and the UP governments principal secretary (Home) to ensure compliance of the courts order.
The petition had said that if the inquiry found that the report was false,action should be taken against those responsible for the publication of a false report on a sensitive matter dealing with national security. The Indian Express,in a statement,said that it stands by the report.
Thakur argued her case herself; Assistant Solicitor General I H Farooqi represented the Union of India.
The bench said it was issuing directions without interfering with the independence of media and keeping in view the fact that the news items relating to movement of troops has already engaged attention at the highest level in the defence as well as in the government.
The bench noted that the petitioner had expressed grave concern that reporting on the subject,if permitted to continue,may seriously interfere with the handling of security matters by the Army,particularly the movements of troops from the strategic point of view in the field as well as peace areas.
