Protecting the Fourth Estate

Almost 50 journalists and commentators associated with news portal NewsClick, including junior staff, were questioned even as their offices were raided this week. The editor, Prabir Purkayastha, and administrator Amit Chakravarty, were arrested by the Delhi police and booked under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The main charge being that the portal is funded by Chinese money and is being used to spread anti-India sentiments. I’m wondering what’s more controversial — the proliferation of alleged anti-India propaganda or the use of Chinese money. Let’s attempt to look deeper into this.

If the charge is unfurling of anti-India advocacy, then being a democracy, we will be forced to ask — what is to be considered ‘anti-India’. Is being critical of any government in power, Centre or state, to be deemed anti-national? Rather, isn’t a blind acceptance of all ‘sarkari’ spiel without the application of a thinking mind, to be called propaganda? Journalists are taught to question facts, they are encouraged to delve deeper into data, they are expected to not blindly surrender but rather report dispassionately and without bias. Sadly, today the lines seem to be blurring between what’s constructive criticism versus malicious, unsubstantiated attacks. Any kind of propaganda — Leftist or Right-wing — can be dangerous for a nation if it’s not backed by real facts.

Are journalists paying the price for being opinionated? YouTube has emerged as a ready platform for scribes who have quit mainstream channels for fear of corporate and political arm-twisting. Almost every well-known and semi-known mediawala has a YouTube channel where he or she often gives an extempore speech on the travails of our times. Their departure from mainlines was in rebellion against the increased suppression of freedom of speech. The NewsClick raids and arrests come at a time when only last month the Supreme Court had said (also controversially) that journalists can’t be prosecuted even if the reports are false. There have been a spate of media arrests in the recent past; there are some who are being investigated for inciting terrorism and for allegedly having links to militants. Let’s be clear that any so-called journalist with terror links shouldn’t be considered to be journalists and there is no condoning of their anti-India acts. But if the charges against NewsClick are proved to be baseless, we will have to admit that journalists who are critical of the current dispensation are paying the price for their factual opinion.

If it’s a matter of Chinese money, then NewsClick is not the only one. There are several Indian businesses and startups unicorns that were or still are backed by Chinese funds — OYO Rooms, Ola Cabs, BigBasket, DailyHunt, XpressBees, Zomato, Byju’s, Swiggy, Pine Labs, SnapDeal, Paytm — the list is long. The government’s ban on Chinese investments in 2020 after the border conflict has definitely led to a drop in investments. But as per industry sources, while Chinese money is negligible in Indian AIFs (Alternate Investment Funds), startups that were pumped with Chinese moolah, still have them on their captable. Therefore, just the mere presence of Chinese equity holding may not be reason enough.

It’s pertinent to note that India has slipped in its ranking on the 2023 World Press Freedom Index announced earlier this year. India dropped to 161 out of 180 countries, according to the report by global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Pakistan performed better than India coming in at 150 while Sri Lanka ranked at 135. Last year, India was at 150; even that isn’t something to be proud of. Unprecedented aggression towards the fourth pillar of democracy can be easily construed as a clamping down on independent media. Vicious attacks against the fourth estate weakens the trust of the common man on institutions. It also begs the question: are journalists safe in India? And if press raids will be the new badge of honour?

The writer is an author and media entrepreneur. Views expressed are personal