Rahul Gandhi mocks PM Modi over ‘U-Turn’ on fake news order

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday took a sweep at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his “U-Turn” on fake news notification.

“Sensing mounting anger on the “fake news” notification, the PM orders a U-Turn on his own order. One can clearly see a loss of control and panic setting in now,” Rahul Gandhi tweeted with a hashtag #BasEkAurSaal.

Early on Tuesday, Modi overruled Union I&B Minister Smriti Irani and cancelled her ministry’s order to laid "controversial" guidelines on fake news.

The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry on Monday announced a set of guidelines on fake news. Under the guidelines, the accreditation of a journalist could be suspended or cancelled permanently on the charge of fake news.

The I&B Ministry guidelines were seen as an attempt to control media in an election year.

Also Read | PM Modi orders withdrawal of fake news guidelines after media outrage

Senior journalist Shekhar Gupta termed the move “breathtaking assault” on media and compared it with former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s proposed anti-defamation bill.

The Opposition Congress too questioned the government’s intent behind the move and asked whether it was “an attempt to prevent genuine reporters from reporting news uncomfortable to establishment.”

Sensing the trouble, Modi stepped in to control the situation and directed the ministry to withdraw the guidelines. He said that the subject should be left to the Press Council of India.

Fake move against fake news?