Withdraw Move That Endangers Press Freedom: Editors On Rajasthan Law

New Delhi: Rajasthan's new law shielding ministers, lawmakers and government officials from investigations into private complaints against them without sanction should be withdrawn as it "gives untrammelled power to even imprison journalists" and "endangers freedom of the press", the Editors Guild of India has said in a strong statement directed at Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.

Rajasthan's BJP government led by Ms Raje has put out an ordinance or executive order barring courts from taking up complaints against public servants without the government's approval. The law also makes it a crime to identify the minister, lawmaker or official against whom a complaint has been filed in the court. Issued last month, the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance will be introduced in the state assembly today.

Urging the government to withdraw the "harmful ordinance" immediately, the Editors Guild said: "The ordinance promulgated by the State Government last month was ostensibly done to protect the judiciary and the bureaucracy against false FIRs. But in reality it is a pernicious instrument to harass the media, hide wrongful acts by government servants and drastically curb the freedom of the press guaranteed by the Constitution of India."

Confronting widespread outrage, the Rajasthan government has defended its controversial move, saying a law was necessary to end frivolous allegations meant to defame ministers and officials.

However, the Editors Guild says rather than taking stern measures to prevent and punish those who indulge in frivolous or false litigation, the state government has passed an ordinance that is "bent on bludgeoning the messenger".

The remedy being used by the Raje government is draconian and gives it untrammelled power to even imprison journalists for reporting matters of public interest, said the top editors' body.