The Editors Guild of India has said it is “deeply perturbed” over the government blaming the media in the Supreme Court for causing panic among migrant workers, leading to their exodus in the wake of the lockdown, and asserted that such actions could obstruct the process of dissemination of news.
In a strongly-worded statement, the Guild said blaming themedia at this juncture can only undermine the current work being done by itunder trying circumstances.
“The Editors Guild of India is deeply perturbed overthe recent government statement before the Supreme Court putting the blame onthe media for causing panic among migrant workers leading to their massmovement in the wake of the lockdown,” the statement said.
This led the apex court to observe that while it didn’t wantto inhibit the debate on the pandemic in any way, the media should refer to andpublish the official version of the developments pertaining to the coronaviruspandemic, the Guild said in the statement issued Thursday night.
The Guild stated that it holds the court in the highestrespect, but finds this advice “gratuitous and unnecessary”.
Such charges can also obstruct in the process ofdissemination of news during an unprecedented crisis facing the country, itsaid.
“No democracy anywhere in the world is fighting thepandemic by gagging its media,” it said.
The Guild also hit out at the lodging of a First InformationReport against the Editor-in-Chief of the website TheWire.
“A police action in the form of an FIR under criminallaws at this stage is an overreaction and an act of intimidation,” theGuild said.
Any such intimidation of the media or blaming the media formass migration of workers will be counterproductive, it said, adding that suchactions will be tantamount to disabling the messenger.
“The Guild believes for sure that the media must beresponsible, free and fair. But such interference can only undermine thosegoals,” the statement said.
Taking a serious note of the panic caused among migrantworkers due to fake news, the top court had earlier this week said it expectsthe media including print, electronic and social to maintain a strong sense ofresponsibility and ensure that “unverified news” with regard tocoronavirus pandemic is not disseminated.The Supreme Court had said the migration of alarge number of labourers working in the cities was triggered by panic createdby fake news that the lockdown would continue for more than three months.