Freedom of press

In India, the freedom of press is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution but is rather derived from the freedom of speech and expression given under Article 19(1)(a). Being a part of the freedom of speech and expression, the press enjoys the same rights and is subject to same liabilities as any other citizen of India. However, in a democracy, the press plays an important role in highlighting the government actions and in criticizing its excesses. The freedom in a democracy can be said to be determined by the freedom its dissident press enjoys. The government that suppresses the freedom of its press cannot be truly called as a democratic government. The role of press is not just to show the good works of the ruling government but also to highlight all its misdeeds, all the actions where it has committed excesses and taken away the rights of the citizens. The press has a role to question various government actions which may not be in the interest of various sections of the society particularly the minorities and the weaker sections. In a democracy, it is not just the right but the duty to question various government policies and decisions. Questioning the ruling party does not mean that the sovereignty of a country is being questioned, it simply means that the various actions of the government may need justification. With power comes responsibility and the ruling party is always responsible to take the interests of all the sections of the society into consideration while making any policy decision. In such circumstances, speaking up is an act of patriotism while remaining silent and watching the government acting against the rule of law would not be an acceptable act specifically for the press. Accountability is an important factor in a democracy. A government can function smoothly only if required checks and balances are in place. Sometimes, the only check on the government actions is the press, in such circumstances, curtailing the freedom of press would be a harmful act for the country.