Free Speech

https://countercurrents.org/2022/07/journalists-in-india-face-many-sided-threats/

Cases of arrests and prosecution under widely criticized undemocratic laws, assaults, raids, highly unreasonable restrictions and surveillance have been reported in recent times with frightening regularity. Such harassment by authorities often also exposes the affected journalists to increased trolling, insults, threats and assaults from groups of people very active in such work.  Apart from the distress and harm suffered by those who have been specifically targeted, this creates widespread conditions of fear and intimidation in which it becomes difficult for many journalists to perform their professional duties properly. Conditions of great uncertainty are created in which the progress of media organizations which are true to their true professional responsibilities is badly hindered. The emergence of young talent in journalism of courage and truth gets badly discouraged. Free and courageous media which is a lifeline for a robust, genuine democracy increasingly faces adverse and dismal prospects.

While a more difficult and threatening situation is faced these days generally by most critical and dissenting voices in media, some are more vulnerable than others. As media freedom has declined significantly during the last eight years or so, during the same period problems and threats have also increased for minority communities in India, most particularly for the Muslim community. So it is hardly surprising that journalists belonging to minorities as well as those journalists who have been in the forefront of protecting rights of minorities have found themselves in a more vulnerable situation.

By Bharat Dogra

08/07/2022

PM Modi ने उड़ाया मजाक तो Ajit Anjum का करारा जवाब | Praveen Gautam Analysis https://youtu.be/K8wkN8hp9Yw?t=108   Feb 21, 2022

Ajit Anjum has responded after what PM Modi said at the Hardoi election rally, giving the example of a video of senior journalist Ajit Anjum. Ajit Anjum said that PM Modi should have given complete information about the interview with the woman. Praveen Gautam's analysis on PM Modi's statement and Ajit Anjum's reply. 

Why Mamata Banerjee's Alleged "Positive News For Govt Ads" Offer Is A Step Towards Godi Media 2.0??? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqyA1Ai0GkI 

"The video was shared by the Twitter handle of Mumbai Press Club. In it, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is purportedly seen having a media interaction. Similar video was shared by BJP spokespersons too. In the video, a journalist is purportedly heard asking West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee that Rural Newspapers do not get advertisement from the govt. and because of that it is difficult for them to survive. To which Banerjee replies and allegedly says “If you were to publish more positive news about things that the government is doing, then I’ll tell the DM personally to give you guys more ads.”
The Mumbai Press Club criticized mamata banerjee for the statement. It said, ""Releasing ads to buy news media has long been used by all governments to undermine the press. It's a powerful tool to cultivate loyalty. This time Mamata Banerjee, CM of West Bengal, crossed the line by openly offering govt ads for favorable reporting.""
Deploring the statement, it said that This is a threat to the freedom of the press.   

Supreme Court Stays Further Proceedings In FIRs Registered Against HW Networks Journalists Mehal Jain 8 Dec 2021

https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/tripura-violence-supreme-court-stays-further-proceedings-in-firs-registered-against-hw-networks-journalists-187166

The bench headed by Justice D. Y. Chandrachud also stayed all further proceedings pursuant to the FIRs dated 14.11.2021 and 18.11.2021. 

The petitioners argue that the FIRs amount to "targeted harassment of press". "If the State is allowed to criminalize the very act of fact-finding and unbiased reporting then the only facts that will come in the public domain are those that are convenient to  the State due to the 'chilling effect on the freedom of speech and expression of members of civil society. If the quest for truth and reporting thereo itself is criminalized then the victim in the process is the idea of justice"

SC stays probe against HW News journalists over Tripura violence reports https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/12/08/sc-stays-probe-against-hw-news-journalists-over-tripura-violence-reports 

The journalists had reported on a mosque being burned down during the violence that erupted after a VHP rally on October 26. Tripura police had then claimed they were “maligning” the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the BJP-led state government”.  They were granted bail by the Chief Judicial Magistrate court in Gomati district on November 15.

In a statement, the Editors Guild of India had noted that the police action against Singh and others was an “extremely disturbing trend” where a “harsh law...is being used for merely reporting on and protesting against communal violence”.

“The Guild is of the opinion that this is an attempt by the state government to deflect attention away from its own failure to control majoritarian violence, as well as to take action against the perpetrators of this.”

Reporter’s diary: Tripura government’s allergic reaction to journalism  Ayush Tiwari 27 Nov, 2021 https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/12/08/2021/11/27/reporters-diary-tripura-governments-allergic-reaction-to-journalism 
The state used police to prevent the ‘negative’ word about the violence from getting out. To this end, journalists, civil society members and even locals faced intimidation, interrogations and arrests.

That evening, Nath,  the area’s sub divisional police officer, or SDPO, intercepted me again near the charred mosque. “Only positive, huh?” he said, exceeding his authority once again. “I don’t want the peace here to be spoilt by negative things.” ..

The Tripura police’s high-handedness went beyond journalists. Civil society members – dubbed the “new frontiers of war” by national security advisor Ajit Doval – faced the wrath too. On November 3, it booked two advocates from Delhi, Ansar Indori and Mukesh, under section 13 of the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA, for their social media posts on the violence .