From Mr. NKP Salve’s numerous statements on the Bihar press bill, it is reasonably clear that the Union government recognizes the legitimacy of at least part of the criticism of the legislation by journalists and others. But it appears that he is having some difficulty in recommending to the Prime Minister that she advise the President to return the bill to the Bihar government. Perhaps he fears that the opposition will seize on such an action on Mrs. Gandhi’s part to make it out that it has scored a victory over the government. Also perhaps the Prime Minister is genuinely concerned over the growth of what she regards has scurrilous writings in the Indian press. No one has ever been able to define what constitutes scurrilous writing and it is not easy to overcome this difficulty. It might have helped in promoting a rational discussion of the issue if those in authority had at any stage compiled a list of “scurrilous writings” and presented them to the Press Council. The Council would certainly be willing to examine such writings and possibly come up with some solution. Indeed, the government should have presented such a list to the second Press Commission and requested it to deal with the problem in a thorough manner. But the government has contented itself with general statements and has at no stage preferred specific charges against specific newspapers, journals or journalists.
Recently the Prime Minister also deplored the role of the press in connection with the communal riots in Meerut. This problem should, on the face of it, be easier to handle in that it should be possible for the authorities to say what newspaper has written what and with what consequences. But for some reasons best known to them, they have shied away from collecting and disclosing such details. Since no one can possibly judge the government’s case on the basis of general statements, it has gone by default. Even those journalists, who sincerely regret that any newspaper should inflame communal passions, have found themselves helpless.
As far as we can judge, the government suffers from schizophrenia on this issue. Ever since independence, it has been committed to the policy of helping small and medium Indian language papers and journals though it should be aware that many of them incite communal and sectarian passions and indulge in other undesirable activities such as sensationalism, character assassination and blackmail. It is not particularly difficult to say why the authorities act in this manner. Both politicians and bureaucrats in state capitals and district headquarters find it useful to be in a position to manipulate small newspapers and journals. This involves a colossal waste of public resources and it serves no useful purpose. This expenditure cannot certainly be said to promote public weal and professional standards. Mrs. Gandhi would have the profession draw up a code ethics and enforce it on the black sheep. This is beyond the capacity of the profession. It cannot take on the policemen’s role even if it wanted to, without destroying itself in the process. Equally important, it cannot possibly wish to take on this role so long as those in power find it expedient to patronize those very black sheep whom they say they wish to be disciplined.