Question : Security to Journalists

(a) whether incidents of attacks on media persons/murder of journalists, etc. are on the rise in the country;

(b) if so, the detail thereof and the total number of journalists injured/killed separately, guilty arrested and the action taken against them during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has received any report/recommendations from the Press Council of India on the safety of media persons/journalists;

(d) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the Government in this regard;

(e) whether the Government proposes to set up a special task force to investigate the attacks on journalists and settle the case within a specified time frame and if so, the details thereof;

(f) whether the Government has any proposal to enact a new law for the protection of the freedom of journalists and to ensure their safety and if so, the details thereof; and

(g) the other steps taken by the Government for the protection of journalists, bloggers, scribes, reporters, Newspaper Offices and TV Stations?

Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs
(SHRI HARIBHAI PARATHIBHAI CHAUDHARY)
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L.S.US.Q.NO.2480 FOR 04.08.2015

(a) to (b) : National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) has started collecting data on attack on media persons under grievous hurt since 2014. Data on murder of journalists is not maintained separately. As per available data, a total of 113 cases were registered and 30 persons were arrested under attack on media person (grievous hurt) during 2014. A State-wise statement is enclosed at Annexure.

(c) to (g): Ministry of Home Affairs has not received the report on “Safety of Journalists” from the Press Council of India and also has no proposal to set up a special task force to investigate the attack on journalists. The provision of security to an individual is primarily the responsibility of the State Government in whose jurisdiction such individual ordinarily resides. Security is provided strictly on the basis of threat assessment made by the Security Agencies. There is no separate categorization of protectees for journalists/media persons, although individual journalists/media persons are also among those who apply for security cover. Representations from all individuals, including journalists/media person are referred to security agencies for assessment of their threat. Appropriate advisories are issued to the concerned State Governments/Police to provide security as per the threat assessment.
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