U-turn on ‘fake news’ order under pressure of protests: Opposition

Several journalists’ organisations and opposition parties, which had vociferously opposed the information and broadcasting minister’s order on “fake news”, hailed the government’s move to withdraw the order as a victory of their protest.

In a meeting held at the Press Club of India in Delhi, after the Prime Minister’s Office announced the withdrawal of the controversial order, journalists’ organisations termed the government’s move a “testing of waters” and vowed to keep a constant vigil against any attempt by the government to muzzle freedom of the press.

The opposition parties also termed the government’s U-turn an act under pressure. Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, “Sensing mounting anger on the ‘fake news’ notification, the PM orders a U-Turn on his own order. One can clearly see a loss of control and panic setting in now.”


Dismissing claims that the I&B minister had made the controversial decision, Congress spokesman Anand Sharma put the blame on the PM himself. “To those who claim the Prime Minister has stepped in (to withdraw the order), the question to be asked is: How is this government working? We know no decision can be taken by any minister, any ministry, no paper can be moved, and no orders can be issued without the PMO. There is complete centralisation of decision-making, policy making. So surely the PM was in the know of it.”