PCI passes resolution that it ‘stands for freedom of press, keeping in mind interest of the nation’

The Press Council of India passed a resolution on Tuesday which said it “stands for freedom of the press, keeping in mind the interest of the nation”, according to a report in Economic Times. The resolution was passed at an extraordinary meeting convened after the council intervened in a petition filed by Kashmir Times executive editor Anuradha Bhasin in the Supreme Court.

The meeting discussed the affidavit “unilaterally” filed by the council’s chairman, CK Prasad, which was criticised by several journalists and PCI members themselves. According to ET, PCI said a “structured view” on curbs on the media would be filed after its sub-committee visited J&K, but it is not clear when this will happen.

The report says: “Three members that ET spoke with said the issue had ‘been put in cold storage’. Prasad, however, told ET that he was willing to send a sub-committee right away if someone was willing to go to J&K.”

It noted: “At Tuesday’s meeting, Prasad admitted that the affidavit was not based on consensus but asked members for ‘statements in it which were anti-media’.” The report also quoted a PCI member who had attended the meeting: “Some members felt adding ‘national interest’ would water down PCI’s pro-media freedom stance, but others said exaggerated reports could be published and Pakistan could use them to belittle India’s image internationally. Hence, a compromise was reached.”