Union Min Anurag Thakur slams foreign media, says they are working with anti-India bias 

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur highlighted the escalating concerns surrounding fake news, paid news, and clickbait news, saying that foreign media are working with anti-India bias to malign the country’s image. Addressing issues during the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave and Awards 2024, he said “Responsible and fair and balanced journalism should be practiced but unfortunately some foreign media organisations are working with anti-India bias. Fabricated reports come out of these media houses who malign the country’s image as well as the image of credible media in the country They must be identified and called out,” said Thakur. “Upholding responsible, fair, and balanced journalism is paramount. Our party which is the Bharatiya Janata Party upholds freedom of speech and the press autonomy and will continue to support it in the years to come but journalists should focus on conveying news rather than creating it,” he added. “The advent of digital platforms in India has facilitated the global dissemination of news about the nation’s progress. This should continue. Healthy discussions and debates are always encouraged and while differing opinions may exist, reporting should consistently adhere to fairness,” Thakur said. “So we would suggest making best use of technology The embrace of technology is instrumental, and we stand united in supporting policy formulation and implementation around it,” he said at the conclave. “The past decade has seen an unparalleled surge in technology and digital media profoundly impacting every facet of our lives,” the Minister said at the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave and Awards 2024. “We are witness to the most significant technological advancement in human history. From the inception of the World Wide Web to the widespread usage of mobile phones, our journey through the 20th century to the 21st century has been nothing short of revolutionary. Today, we have transitioned from waiting months for a SIM card to the era of touch screens and PM Modi has been helping us with this transition through the years with a host of policies and initiatives. Be it UPI payments or DigiLocker, the list goes on,” the Minister said. The Minister also credited the way journalists have been supporting the government to spread awareness on various subjects including policies, schemes and all other central initiatives. “We appreciate the way our journalists worked as Karma Yogis in the pandemic. While we were sitting at home, they were reporting from all corners of the country and spreading awareness. Journalists also played a very important role in the success of government initiatives like Swatch Bharat and others,” said Thakur. “Thanks to digital platforms in India, news on India’s progress is reaching the world,” he added.