Press Council should take up UP minister Shivpal Yadav

16 August, 2012

The Press Council of India should take cognizance of repeated mistakes made by Uttar Pradesh Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav for his comments and threats against the media.

INSTEAD OF apologising for being caught on camera advising government officers to steal a little in exchange for services provided to public, he has now threatened media-persons to get them arrested if queries on this subject are made to the minister.

His statement and intention is definitely an assault on the rights of the media, which acts as a vigilant watchdog. The media, in its important capacity, is the fourth pillar of democracy in India.

It is time that the Press Council of India is also given a quasi-judicial status so that it may have powers to summon persons like Shivpal Singh Yadav for their attempts to curb freedom of the media, which is also an attack on the constitutional right of freedom of expression of threatened media-persons.

The minister should not be allowed to get away with his 'dictatorial' ways in handling the media, and for his highly irresponsible statements made to government officers that were perceived as legitamizing corruption.