Govt protects press freedom: Minister Gurung

Kathmandu, Feb 23: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has said the government would not do anything that jeopardizes press freedom.

Minister Gurung said it while addressing a function organized on the 23rd establishment day of the Madhyanna national daily on Sunday. The political parties struggled a lot to achieve loktantra, so the government would not be involved in the activity that risks the loktantra.

“Nepal’s ethnic and social harmony is exemplary to the world. Our religious and cultural identities are beautiful aspects of diversity,” he reminded, expressing concern that such assets were being assaulted via social networks. So, the government brought the bill to regulate social networking sites.

The minister asserted that this bill would not risk press freedom at all. If it has such provisions, these would be amended, he committed. Moreover, Minister Gurung said the aberrations in digital spheres would be curbed once this is passed.

The bill is imperative to keep intact the religious harmony of the country, he added. The bill would be endorsed democratically, according to him. —RSS