Journalists could lose accreditation if propagate fake news
New Delhi: In an election year, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has amended guidelines for journalists’ accreditation stating that if a journalist is found to have “created and/or propagated” fake news, the journalist’s accreditation will be suspended or permanently cancelled.
In a press release issued Monday evening, it said that the Press Council of India and News Broadcasters Association (NBA), the two regulatory bodies for print and television media respectively, will determine whether the news is fake or not.
Once a complaint is registered for “determination of fake news,” the Ministry’s statement said, the accreditation of the journalist who “created and/or propagated the fake news” will be “suspended till such time the determination regarding the fake news is made by the regulating agencies mentioned above”.
Immediate responses to the move from journalists were almost uniformly negative, ranging from those who think this move will not affect the actual problem of fake news to others who believe this is an attack on press freedoms.
The Press Information Bureau website says that 2,404 journalists now have accreditation. To put that number in context, there were 105,443 newspapers registered in India as of 2015 (and that does not count broadcast or digital news organisations). So it is clear that the impact of these regulations is on a very small subset of Indian journalists.
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Govt launches Haj Suvidha App 2.0 for ease of pilgrims
New Delhi, Nov 23: The Minority Affairs Ministry on Saturday launched the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 with the new version introducing key features such as air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims going on Haj.
The application was launched by Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju after he inaugurated the Conference of Chairpersons of State and UT Haj Committees in the presence of Minister of State for Minority Affairs, George Kurian and Chairman of the Haj Committee of India Abdullahkutti, among others.
In his address, Rijiju noted that the Haj pilgrimage is the largest logistical operation undertaken annually by the government of India beyond its borders.
He emphasised that Haj has long been a cornerstone of the strong bilateral relationship between India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Rijiju highlighted several significant reforms aimed at improving the pilgrimage experience, including the removal of the discretionary quota, the integration of technology through the Haj Suvidha App, and the provision of facilities for female pilgrims without Mehram.
Kurian spoke about the new measures being implemented for Haj 2025, designed to enhance the comfort and convenience of the Indian pilgrims.
Among the key initiatives, he mentioned the procurement of modern buildings with lifts not only in Aziziya but also in nearby areas close to the Haram.
Additionally, the latest model buses will be introduced for travel between Makkah, Madinah, and within the Mashaer region.
The conference, organised by the Haj Committee of India under the Ministry of Minority Affairs, also marked the launch of the Haj Suvidha App 2.0 by Rijiju.
Building on the success of the Haj Suvidha App 1.0 in 2024, the new version introduces key features such as the selection process, boarding pass and air travel details, a navigation system with Mina maps, and medical history and health advisories for Indian pilgrims.
The conference included discussions on stakeholder feedback, suggestions and preparations.
