DNA Edit: Media curbs - Kumaraswamy should see how precedents have ended

Every now and then, politicians mull a law to control the media, mostly the electronic variant these days, and end up with egg on their face. Curiously, while coming up with a ham-handed proposal, they never seem to realise how it will end up, which is no small surprise.

Now, it is Karnataka’s turn. Chief minister HD Kumaraswamy on Sunday, expressed anger at the electronic media, saying that the Karnataka government was planning to introduce laws to restrain it. Speaking at a book launch, Kumaraswamy claimed that he had stopped speaking to the media because of “irresponsible reporting”.

In fact, the chief minister reserved most of his time venting his anger at the electronic media. Kumaraswamy’s main grouse was that they treat “politicians like jokers,” which he threatened will not be allowed. This is not the first time when the Karnataka CM has expressed his displeasure with the media.

Earlier, he had ordered police officials to identify social media users, who expressed dissent over his son Nikhil Kumaraswamy’s candidature from Mandya. The Kumaraswamy proposal is not the first time a government is trying to muscle in on news that it regards as not favourable.

The amendment of journalists’ accreditation guidelines by the information & broadcasting ministry in 2018 was another instance — one of the many — that have come up in the past. The withdrawal of the order in less than 24 hours, too, was in line with the trend of governments ultimately backing off when they realise that the backlash may become difficult to control. While, there is little doubt that the media has to have an internal policy of self-censorship, it certainly cannot be imposed from outside and that too by the government.