PM Narendra Modi cancels Smriti Irani’s fake news directive

Today PM Narendra Modi has cancelled a controversial government order on punishing journalists for fake news and said the subject should be left to the PCI Press Council of India. The order issued last evening had said that journalists could be denied government access just on the accusation of fake news and they could lose their accreditation for a limited period or permanently. The guidelines about fake news were treated by editors as an attempt to control the media in an election year.

Smriti Irani Information and Broadcasting Minister had said today that she was “more than happy to engage with journalists or organisations wanting to give suggestions so that together we can fight the menace of ‘fake news’ and uphold ethical journalism”.

.@MIB_India is more than happy to engage with journalist body or organisation/s wanting to give suggestions so that together we can fight the menace of ‘fake news’ & uphold ethical journalism. Interested journalists and/or organisations may feel free to meet me at @MIB_India. 2/2

— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) April 3, 2018

As per source.