The concept of ‘paid news' becoming an “epidemic” in the media came up for discussion in the Lok Sabha on Friday, with an Independent member seeking urgent intervention by the Press Council of India and the Election Commission to check this trend.
Raising the issue during zero hour, Tarun Mandal termed ‘paid news' a ‘fraud on the people,' and said it was spreading in a menacing manner, undermining democracy.
Quoting a Lok Sabha member, Mr. Mandal said: “First it was an aberration, then it became a disease, and now it has taken the form of an epidemic.”