Attacks on journalists not frequent, claims Minister

Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir on Wednesday said journalists were not being attacked too often in India.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha about attack on journalists, Ahir said that going by the figures of attacks on journalists, it is "not a large number".

He said that in 2014 a total of 114 cases of attacks on journalists were registered and 32 persons arrested in this connection. In 2015, the total cases registered were 28, and the number of persons arrested was 41.

"This is not a large number given that our country is so large with so much population. I don't think journalists are being attacked too frequently," Ahir said.

He added that the police and public order were state subjects.

"Police and public order are state subjects under the seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The existing laws are adequate for protection of citizens including journalists. The Press Council of India takes prompt action on receipt of specific complaints from affected persons," Ahir said in his reply.

Although he said that all police stations readily register cases if journalists complain of any threat or attack on them (implying there was no cover up of such cases), shortly afterwards he contradicted himself when he said that Uttar Pradesh was probably not reporting all the cases.

Responding to a supplementary question on the state of Uttar Pradesh -- where the cases of attack on journalists were highest (63) in 2014, but in 2015 there was only one case -- Ahir said that perhaps the state was not reporting all cases.

"Going by the data provided to us, it does not seem that all cases are being registered in Uttar Pradesh," Ahir added.

Earlier, raising the issue, nominated member K.T.S. Tulsi cited a report by international NGO Reporters without Borders which stated that India is the third most dangerous country for journalists, ahead of even Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Ahir said that the picture is not as grim as being portrayed by some members.

--IANS

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