Considering demand of the treasury and opposition benches, the Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly Abdul Rahim Rather on Friday asked the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) government to come up with a draft bill to address fake news misinformation in the Union Territory.
Rather issued the directive following a discussion in the House, initiated by BJP MLA Ranbir Singh Pathania.
Pathania stated that with the advent of social media, several unregistered news portals and pages in Jammu and Kashmir have been peddling fake news and some among them have launched a disinformation campaign against politicians including members of the House. “There is a mushroom growth of online portals, pages and channels… there seems to be no accountability. There are also no fact-checking unit,” Pathania said. He demanded that registration with a nodal agency be made mandatory for all online platforms including social media news portals.
Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary candidly admitted that some news portals and pages on social sites have been bluntly peddling false narrative to suit their agenda. “However, having said so, we the politicians are also responsible for this. We should not forget that when we raise one finger at others, remaining fingers are pointed at us,” he said. The deputy CM expressed regrets over below the belt content and character assassination being done by some news portals at the behest of rival politicians.
“Media organisations would also have to introspect and decide on which side they want to stand. Media is the fourth pillar of the democracy and it must ensure its integrity,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“Media organisations would also have to introspect and decide on which side they want to stand. Media is the fourth pillar of the democracy and it must ensure its integrity,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}Speaker Rather asked the government to come up with a bill after doing a comparative study of laws established by other states, so that the menace of fake news is tackled in Jammu and Kashmir. “Government should take the matter seriously and come up with a comprehensive bill to check fake news and smear campaigns on social sites,” he said.
On February 13, Rather had assured a discussion on fake news and smear campaigns involving elected representatives and politicians on various social media sites. “Such complaints come up frequently and member (BJP MLA RS Pathania) has rightly pointed out the need to strengthen and activate the enforcement wing because it is the question of someone’s honour and dignity. Several members last year and this year as well raised this issue of fake news,” he had told the House then.