Newly-appointed Information and Broadcasting Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Tuesday said that the Centre has no plans to regulate online media and digital news websites, PTI reported.
Rathore said his ministry would work towards ensuring that the media becomes the voice of the people.
“The prime minister is very clear that the media in our country is one of the very important pillars of democracy and they have to self-regulate,” Rathore told reporters.
Rathore’s statement gains significance as the ministry under his predecessor Smriti Irani had issued an order last month to constitute a committee to frame rules to regulate news websites. Rathore, who was a junior minister in the ministry, took over from Irani on Monday.
However, Rathore said the media had misunderstood the order. “It is not us versus them,” he said. “It is not about two teams. It is about a collective responsibility that media becomes the voice of the people.”
He also said that social media is independent and does not come under the purview of his ministry. “We hope social media users will be careful about what they put out there,” he added.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!