No plans for fresh laws to deal with publications: Moily
Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today said there were no plans for any fresh law or changes in existing laws to deal with publications which cast aspersions on national heroes like Mahatma Gandhi.
Reacting to media reports which quoted him as favouring a ban on the latest book on Gandhi, Moily said he was in favour of self-regulation.
"My stand is that since the author has himself denied any adverse remarks on Mahatma Gandhi, no further action is required," Moily said here.
The Minister said the perverse inferences on Gandhi appeared to be a result of the reviews of the book. "Why should we give more publicity to such things? The image of our national heroes cannot be sullied like this," he said
Moily said such "stray" events did not warrant any changes in the existing laws. In response to his reported remarks on the need to amend the Prevention of Insult to National Heroes Act, 1971, the minister said "It is better for writers to self regulate. I don't think any changes to existing laws are required at the moment. It will not serve any purpose."
