Rawal said this during a meeting with a delegation of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) at his office in Singha Durbar. “The ministry is seriously working towards punishing the guilty involved in such activities in the past,” said Rawal. “This is necessary to safeguard democracy and disseminate information.”
Rawal made the remarks when the FNJ delegation raised issues that the murderers of journalist Birendra Kumar Sah were walking freely. The FNJ delegation also urged the government to book the guilty behind the murder of journalists Prakash Singh Thakuri and JP Joshi, among others, and provide compensation to their families.
Then Maoist-led government had repelled a case against the murder of journalist Thakuri last year, terming it a ´political case´.
Meanwhile, Rawal reiterated that the government had no plan to use journalists as ´informers´ under the newly launched Special Security Plan.
“The idea was floated to help provide journalists easy access to information,” he said. “We do not have any intention to get information from the journalists.”
Rawal said the ministry has not implemented the plan after protests from various quarters. “I express my commitment to amend the plan at the policy level too,” he said.
The FNJ delegation had suggested developing online portal to publish daily bulletin and form a separate mechanism in the ministry to provide journalists with necessary information. Rawal said he was positive about the suggestions.
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