Mumbai, March 9 The Maharashtra government on Sunday categorically rejected the Mumbai Press Club's characterisation of its media monitoring initiative as a "regime of surveillance" or an attack on press freedom.
The government in its response to the Mumbai Press Club’s statement has clarified that this initiative is neither about monitoring journalists nor suppressing criticism, but about systematically identifying and correcting misinformation that undermines public understanding.
The government said that the media monitoring centre would analyse news content, not journalists. Its purpose is to identify factual inaccuracies about government activities, not to monitor personal communications or target media houses.
“When we refer to "negative" reporting, we mean content that is factually incorrect, misleading, or intentionally distorted. Constructive criticism based on facts will never be categorised as negative. Our classification system has clear guidelines based on verifiable facts, not subjective interpretation. Also, the information, constructive criticism based on facts, will be carried out to the government as before,” said the government in a release.
Elaborating its role in correcting misinformation, the government said: “When false claims circulate about government programs, it is our responsibility to provide accurate information to citizens. This initiative creates a mechanism for timely clarification, not for controlling narrative.”
Unlike the previous Fact Checking Unit (FCU) proposal, the initiative operates within constitutional boundaries with clear procedural guidelines.
“We have structured this initiative to respect freedom of expression while combating misinformation, learning from previous judicial rulings,” said the government.
It further added: “We regularly prepare detailed responses to correct factual inaccuracies in media reports, yet many outlets simply ignore these corrections. This initiative formalises our existing efforts to ensure accurate information reaches the public, regardless of media outlets' willingness to publish corrections.”
According to the government, the media monitoring centre will operate openly, with findings published for public scrutiny while reaffirming its commitment to press freedom and recognising the vital role journalists play in our democracy.
“We welcome engagement with media organisations to improve this initiative and address concerns. This initiative serves the public interest by ensuring citizens receive accurate information about government activities, especially when misinformation could cause harm. We remain committed to upholding democratic values while fostering a well-informed citizenry,” said the government in a release.
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