Information and Broadcasting Minister to take action against fake journalists. Is it true?
A news report is going viral on social media which claims that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is about to tighten its grip on “fake journalists”.
Claims: According to the report, Minister of State for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting – Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, during a press briefing, stated that the Ministry would take action against fake journalists, file FIRs and also jail them if required. The minister also said that only those newspapers registered under Registrar of Newspapers for India and TV/Radio channels registered under the IB Ministry could recruit a journalist/reporter, alleged the report.
The report mentioned that, when asked about journalists employed in web-based news portals, the minister said there is no provision for their registration under the IB Ministry. Hence, the Ministry would take strict action against those who recruit Journalists or release press cards in their name.
*फर्जी पत्रकारों के खिलाफ होगा एक्शन एफआईआर और जेल : राजवर्धन सिंह राठौर* सूचना प्रसारण राज्य मंत्री की प्रेसवार्ता pic.twitter.com/1pt9F6gvu5
— कृष्ण पाल सिंह संवाददाता 🇮🇳 (@w2fSHggxpmQZCKG) June 17, 2021
फर्जी पत्रकारों के खिलाफ होगा एक्शन एफआईआर और जेल, सूचना प्रसारण राज्य मंत्री कर्नल राजवर्धन सिंह राठौर ने प्रेस वार्ता कर दी जानकारी
— Vijay Sharma (@VijaySh43924393) June 13, 2021
फर्जी पत्रकारो के खिलाफ होगी एफआईआर
नई दिल्ली: भारत के सूचना प्रसारण मंत्रालय ने जाली पत्रकारों पर सिकंजा कसने की तैयारी कर ली है। आज दोपहर को हुई प्रेस ब्रीफिंग में पत्रकारों से बात करते हुए, सूचना प्रसारण राज्य मंत्री कर्नल राजवर्धन सिंह राठौर ने— BHOOPENDRA BAGHEL (@BHOOPEN99095326) June 10, 2021
In the viral article, the name of the news publication reads – Ratangarh Times, New Delhi. A google search of this name led us to Ratangarh Times’ Facebook page. After a brief look through it, we found that on 16th June, the page shared the same article in a newsletter.
Truth
Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore or the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting did not make any statement about taking action against “fake journalists”.
It is important to note that Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore is not even the Minister of State for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Rathore held the position from 14th May 2018 to 31st May 2019. However, he was not given the post in the second term of the Modi government. The current Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting is Shri Prakash Javadekar. It is notable that the official social media accounts of both present and ex-minister of the IB Ministry or the Ministry itself, had no mention of this press brief.
Furthermore, there was also no mention of any such decision or statement by the IB Ministry in any news report across all news publications. Such news ought to have gained attention from the media because it directly affects the industry.
The official fact-checking Twitter account of the Press Information Bureau tweeted and debunked the news. The tweet mentioned the widespread claim and called it fake. It also reiterated that the Ex. Central Minister for Information and Broadcasting Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has not claimed such action in any of his statements.
केंद्रीय सूचना एवं प्रसारण मंत्री के कथित वक्तव्य के हवाले से यह दावा किया गया है कि फर्जी पत्रकारों के खिलाफ कार्यवाही कर उन्हें गिरफ्तार किया जाएगा#PIBFactCheck:यह दावा #फर्जी है।पूर्व केंद्रीय सूचना एवं प्रसारण मंत्री @Ra_THORe ने अपने किसी भी वक्तव्य में यह दावा नही किया है pic.twitter.com/DaBmmH8HY4
— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) June 17, 2021
Other fact-checkers like NewsChecker recently debunked this claim too.
