SOP for journalists' safety in final stage, says Union Minister Nityanand Rai

The Central government attaches the highest importance to the safety and security of all residents of the country, including journalists, said Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai in the Lok Sabha

New Delhi:Ministerof State for Home Nityanand Rai on Tuesday said that the Central government is in the process of finalising a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the safety of journalists in consultation with various agencies and stakeholders concerned. “The Central government attaches the highest importance to the safety and security of all residents of the country, including journalists. The Central government is in the process of finalising a standard operating procedure in this regard, in consultation with various agencies and stakeholders,” said Rai in the Lok Sabha.

He said that the existing laws for the protection of citizens also cover journalists. ‘The police’ and ‘Public Order’ are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India and State governments are responsible for the prevention, detection and investigation of crimes and for prosecuting the criminals through their law enforcement agencies, Rai said in a written reply.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued advisories to States and Union Territories, from time to time, to maintain law and order and ensure that any person, who takes the law into his or her own hands, is punished promptly as per law. An advisory specifically on the safety of journalists was issued to States and UTs on October 20, 2017, requesting them to strictly enforce the law to ensure the safety and security of media persons,” Rai said.

Meanwhile, in another reply over the issue of the 'One Nation One Police Uniform', Rai said that the 'One Nation One Police Uniform' creates a distinct identity of police and ensures that citizens easily recognise police personnel across the country. “The States and UTs have their own prescribed police uniform with colour, respective emblem and badge. The States and UTs have been requested to provide their comments and suggestions in this regard. The response of 24 States and UTs has been received so far,” Rai informed.

He said that a committee has been constituted in the Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D) with members of some States and UTs, representatives of some Textile Research Associations, Troop Comforts Limited and the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS), to consider and finalise the report on the subject 'One Nation One Police Uniform'.

“It is primarily the responsibility of the State governments and UT administrations to make the police force efficient and capable and to maintain law and order, including investigation, registration and prosecution under the applicable laws rest with the respective State. Amendment to law is a continuous process,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rai said that the incidents of terrorist violence and infiltration have declined during the last two years in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 129 terrorist-related incidents have been registered in J&K in 2021, followed by 125 in 2022 and 26 in 2023. Rai said that net infiltration in J&K in the last three years has also witnessed a downfall. In 2021 as many as 34 infiltrations were reported, followed by 14 in 2022 and no incidents of infiltration in 2023 till date.

He said that the measures taken by the government to curb terrorist violence include proactive counter-insurgency operations against terrorists, identification and arrest of over-ground supporters of terrorists, deployment of police, Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to thwart any terrorist incidents in Jammu & Kashmir.