Congress Flays Anti-Terror Law

The government move to make it legally binding on journalists to disclose all terrorist related information and its source to the police has created a new controversy with the main opposition Congress attacking it as improper.

There are two provisions relating to the conduct of mediapersons in the draft anti-terrorist law that has just been circulated by the government among all politicial parties. The first provision makes mediapersons accountable to police in respect of all information that they get in the course of their profession. Failures to report knowlege of any terrorist-related activity to the police could make the journalist liable for a rigorous imprisonment of one year.

The second provision makes it incumbent upon mediapersons that whenever the police so demand any information that a journalist may have relating to a terrorist activity, he or she would be bound to reveal. In case he or she witholds the information, she or she can be tried in a summary trial and can be punished with imprisonment which can extend to three years.

Congress spokesman Ajit Jogi yesterday made it clear that his party did not approve of the two provisions and would not support any legislation which would have such provision.

"Freedom of expression should be respected and the time-honoured custom that mediapersons are never pressured to disclose their source, should be honoured", Jogi said. Jogi said that it should be left to the mediapersons to disclose information and if they do not then they should not be imprisoned.