Expressing concern over Attorney General K K Venugopal’s statement about the reports on Rafale deal published in a leading daily, the journalist bodies on Thursday urged the need to re-examine Official Secrets Act as well as law on defamation in a bid to stop misuse against the fourth estate of democratic set up.
In a joint press statement by Press Club of India and Indian Women’s Press Corps Press Association said, “We feel it is time that the Official Secrets Act as well as law on Defamation need to be re-examined given the potential of their misuse against the Fourth Estate.”
“We, the undersigned journalist organizations express deep concern at the statements made by the Attorney General of India insinuating that reports on the Rafale deal published in The Hindu newspaper were based on documents stolen from the Ministry of Defence,” it added.
The Attorney General’s statement made in open court suggesting that the publication of such reports and the documents imperiled national security and therefore should be deemed as criminal, has the potential of sending out a chilling effect to one and all in the media, it said.
The statement also added that the implications and ramifications of the statements made by the top most legal officer of the government are not only for the media but also for the sources of information that journalists rely on.
‘These statements in addition to submissions made by the government in court that the Official Secrets Act had been violated contradict the very idea of a free press in an open democracy like ours.
‘The Fourth Estate is bound by its dual responsibility of reporting what is in public interest as well as raising questions, irrespective of the government in power, which is part of its moral responsibility.
‘It is deeply unfortunate that it is the discharge of this responsibility that is being sought to be stymied by top ranking officials of the government,’ it said.
On Wednesday, the Attorney General told the Supreme Court that reports published in The Hindu and ANI, based on documents relating to the Rafale deal, cannot be the subject of judicial process as it was a matter of national security.
He also said that the government would initiate “criminal action” against the two publications and a lawyer, believed to be Prashant Bhushan, since the matter was of sensitive nature and is covered by the Official Secrets Act. (UNI)
