India’s attack on journalism

The rise of right-wing leaders across the world has led to a brutal crackdown on credible journalism, replacing bonafide journalists with mouthpieces ever ready to parrot whatever line is fed to them. Almost all democracies have been affected by this brazen attack on journalism. But what is happening in India under PM Narendra Modi is a case that will forever raise questions on the country’s credentials as a strong democracy. Last Tuesday (Oct 3), dozens of Indian police officers raided the homes of journalists, cartoonists, and consultants associated with the digital news outlet ‘NewsClick’. The organization’s founder and its head of HR were also among those arrested and charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act – the law that was originally introduced to curb terror activities.

Mainstream media in the country has already handed over its strings to corporate lords whose economic and political ideology align with that of the Modi-led Indian administration. Now the digital space that was previously seen by those with ‘unpopular’ opinions as a small yet necessary space by journalists and other media personalities to counter the government’s growing authoritarianism is under attack. The use of a dangerous law against journalists – indirectly categorizing them as terrorists and a security risk – shows how far the brutal Modi regime can go to create a state of fear, ensuring that no one dares question the government. Since his coming to power in 2014, PM Modi has not held a single press conference, preferring to give interviews to a chosen few including a Bollywood film star.

This has allowed him to escape the questions raised to hold him accountable for his anti-people policies and suppression of minorities. Previously, Modi used his brutal force against Kashmiri journalists, deliberately muzzling voices. For a long time, the international media remained silent, applying a band-aid labelled ‘internal matters’ on gross atrocities in the Kashmir Valley. Criticism surfaced only after the Modi government slapped a ban on the screening of a BBC documentary that highlighted the insidious role of Modi in the Gujarat riots. India has long been viewed as a strategic partner of the West to counter the growing dominance of China in the region. But India has started seeing its role as an ally as an immunity badge. Accusations by Canada against India’s role in Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s killing have allowed critics from the international community to call out India for what it is – a bully who flexes its economic muscles to get more countries in its team, offering them incentives that work well for their interests against an unspoken promise of turning their back to its atrocities. The press cannot possibly remain in chains for too long. Critical voices can never be destroyed. Whatever is happening in India is a test for journalists and people on the right side of history, and it will forever be a big stain on Modi’s bloody legacy.