Media's ‘public space' and government control

So finally it came. The I&B Minister moved forward, then backward and then, forward again.

- Buroshiva Dasgupta

The Minister announced that any journalist found involved in propagating ‘fake’ news would lose his government accreditation. The Prime Minister’s Office moved in promptly and the order was struck down. Was he unaware when the Minister sent the order? Nobody knows. The PMO said that there were other bodies who could decide better what fake news is and then action could be taken against the erring journalists. Quickly another body was formed to detect and decide upon fake news circulating in the social media. It included members from the Press Council of India, The Broadcasting Council, and several government officials.