“Media Freedom Under Siege: A Battle for the Fourth Estate” – Press Club of India Demands Transparency and Protests Raids
Photo Credit: X, Press Club of India Protests Raids
New Delhi, Oct 3: Media organizations joined forces at the Press Club of India to vehemently denounce the recent police raids on journalists associated with the NewsClick portal, characterizing it as yet another attempt to stifle press freedom. Expressing solidarity with the targeted journalists, these bodies condemned what they called a ‘witch-hunt’ by state agencies.
The Press Club of India demanded that the government disclose the specifics of the matter and held an impromptu protest gathering against the multiple raids. Through its X (formerly Twitter) handle, it conveyed that “The meeting resolved to continue protest by several journalists bodies for defending media freedom.”
The Editors Guild of India (EGI) executive committee issued a statement expressing grave concern over the raids conducted at the homes of senior journalists. “Their laptops, mobile phones, and other devices have been seized. Senior journalists have been taken into custody by the Delhi police, allegedly for ‘questioning.’ Media reports suggest that the raids have been widespread,” the statement read.
While acknowledging that the police action was related to a First Information Report registered under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other provisions concerning criminal conspiracy and disruption of communal harmony, the EGI emphasized, “While we recognize that the law must take its course if actual offenses are involved, the due process has to be followed.”
The EGI further added, “The investigation of specific offenses must not create a general atmosphere of intimidation under the shadow of draconian laws, or impinge on the freedom of expression and the raising of dissenting and critical voices. We remind the government of the importance of an independent media in a functioning democracy and urge it to ensure that the fourth pillar is respected, nurtured, and protected.”
The National Alliance of Journalists, the Delhi Union of Journalists, and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (Delhi Unit) also condemned the police raids on individuals such as Bhasha Singh, Urmilesh, Prabir Purkayastha, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Teesta Setalvad, Abhisar Sharma, Aunindyo Chakraborty, Mahesh Kumar, Subodh Varma, Aditi Nigam, Mukund Jha, and others.
In a joint statement, they declared, “We believe that this is yet another attempt by the Centre to muzzle the freedom of the press. Such an action, raiding and intimidating almost all the employees in a media organization, is unheard of. The NewsClick management has been maintaining that whatever funding they have received was through legal sources, and evidence for this has been submitted in the High Court of Delhi. These new raids are to divert public attention from burning livelihood issues of people.”
“Unfortunately, journalists are being targeted for furthering the political agenda of the ruling party. We condemn this with the strongest possible words. We will stand with these journalists in this matter. We urge the Centre to immediately stop this attack on press freedom. We urge the media fraternity to protest against this witch-hunt by the government.
