Hindi newspaper Rajasthan Patrika on Wednesday said it will not publish any news about Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje or activities related to her government till the state strikes down the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance.
The controversial legislation, which was tabled in the Rajasthan Assembly on October 23, proposes to shield serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants from being investigated for on-duty action without its sanction. It also proposes to ban the media from naming the public servant till the government allows a case to be investigated.
Calling it a “black law”, Rajasthan Patrika said the government’s move to refer the ordinance to a Select Committee was an eyewash as the ordinance was still in effect and journalists were still vulnerable to the state government’s action. The newspaper said it hoped its readers and the public supported its move.
The Rajasthan government’s move drew criticism not only from the Opposition but also from Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs Ghanshyam Tiwari and Narpat Singh Rajvi.
After Rajasthan Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot, Aam Aadmi Party leader Poonam Chand Bhandari and the People’s Union for Civil Liberties challenged the ordinance in the High Court, the court served notices to the central and state governments. The case will be heard on November 27.
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