India has witnessed 54 reported attacks on journalists within in a time period of 16 months, along with the three cases of television news channels being banned, 45 internet shutdowns, and 45 sedition cases against individuals and groups. 49 celebrities were also charged with FIR for writing to PM Modi on the topic of Mob lynchings. The current BJP government had been blamed for keeping a check on journalists, buying the media houses and in certain cases even bribing them (Allegations). On 5th June 2017, The CBI raided 4 locations in New Delhi, one of which was the residence of NDTV founder Prannoy Roy. The media groups a few days after this came together and alleged that the government has been trying to suppress the media houses and take them into their hands and took a decision which Prannoy Roy quoted as “If you bend, they will come for you, so stand up.” This assembly witnessed the gathering of some of the most powerful lawyers of the country including Fali S Nariman who gave a long speech against the government actions which tried to curb the freedom of speech. This is where it was quoted that the Kashmir Mirror (the local news agency for Kashmir region) has been mocked, flocked and blocked by conducting raids, sealing their printing press and banning their publications in Kashmir time and again.
Cobrapost is a 2-tier independent news portal which specializes in investigative journalism, under cover operations and sting operations. In 2011, one of the journalists was awarded with International Press Institute Award for this Investigation in Vienna. Cobrapost Operation 136 exposed how prominent media companies were prepared to enter into a cash for coverage‘ deal with an undercover reporter who assumed the identity of someone wanting to promote right-wing and Hindutva talking points to influence the 2019 General and various other state elections.
Gauri Lankesh (29 January 1962 – 5 September 2017) was an Indian journalist turned-activist from Bangalore, Karnataka. She worked as an editor in Lankesh Patrike, a Kannada weekly started by her father P. Lankesh, and ran her own weekly called Gauri Lankesh Patrike. She was shot to death by unknown assailants outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on 5 September 2017. At the time of her death, Gauri was known for being a critic of right-wing Hindu extremism. On the other hand, another shocking act was committed when a prominent Journalist named Shujaat Bhukhari was murdered in the country in broad daylight. Not just this, there were various other activists and journalists who were allegedly murdered for not being pro government. That being said, we must not forget that there are various news channels that are owner-driven rather than being editor driven. The very basic reason is the hunger of the owners for Political Appointments. This has even led to various journalists quitting or being fired from their positions when they failed to surrender themselves to the whims and wishes of the higher authority. This team was constituted by the UPA-2 after 26/11 to ensure that instances, where media houses compromised the national security of the country, do not repeat. Instead, this team is now being used for political purposes by the party in power.
This Article is authored by –
SHRAVANI SHARMA, Student of BBA LL.B (Hons.), VIT Law School, Chennai
