Need for 'clear and honest' information from Centre on COVID-19 spread: CPI(M)

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury slammed the government on Tuesday for approaching the Supreme Court seeking a direction to media houses on how to report the coronavirus outbreak, saying a crisis cannot be used to curtail the fundamental rights.

The Centre has urged the court to order that no media outlet print, publish or telecast anything on the outbreak "without ascertaining the facts" provided by the government. It has said any deliberate or inaccurate reporting has a "serious and inevitable potential" of causing panic in the society.

Criticising the government stand, Yechury said the media has a duty to seek the truth.

"The government gives media, information. It is the duty of the media to seek the truth from there. Gagging the media can only undermine national interest at a time like this. Crises like these cannot, and must not be used to curtail our fundamental rights," he said in a tweet.

He also raised a slew of questions on the government's handling of the COVID-19 crisis, saying there's a need for the Centre to provide "clear and honest''.

"First, we need clear and honest information from the central government on COVID-19 virus. The attempt to divert & obstruct genuine queries is akin to playing with the lives of millions of Indians. Why is the health minister and the home minister not leading the briefing every evening?