The Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists(APUWJ) on Saturday resolved to step up campaign to press for scrapping of the recent gag order issued by the government that aims to counter alleged ‘false, baseless and defamatory media coverage’. ‘Kills free press’At a roundtable held coinciding with National Press Day, APUWJ State president I.V. “When Press Council of India(PCI) is there to monitor media houses and to take note of any derogatory media reports, there is no need for such an order. Enough legal provisions are there in the statute book to rein in errant media houses,” he said, ahead of the protest planned at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi next month. But the order was not withdrawn either, he recalled, adding that the present GO was more ‘draconian’ than the previous one.

Source: The Hindu November 16, 2019 19:18 UTC