The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in May called on the Supreme Court to remind the governments of Indian states and union territories of their constitutional duty to respect press freedom.
Often, journalists become victims of negligent behavior by authorities, who make direct and indirect effort into trying to silence the press for doing its job of exposing the deep-rooted problems of our society.
Recent FIRs against Mohammed Zubair, the co-founder of Alt News, is the latest evident attack on press freedom. Alt News in a statement said, “An attempt is being made to hound co-founder of Alt News, Mohammed Zubair through misuse of legal apparatus. AltNews stands by Mohammed Zubair. Zubair has been at the forefront of fighting fake narratives, and his work hurts those who have weaponised misinformation to subvert the Indian democracy.”
Zubair too refuted the allegation and claimed it to be “an absolutely frivolous complaint.”
There exists a history of similar attacks on freedom of the press. In India, journalists are intimidated every now and then. Committee for Protection of Journalists (CPJ), an agency that documents the cases of harassment on journalists, puts forward depressing figures wherein almost everyday journalists are being intimidated at the hands of the administration.
It is evident, as in the case of Zubair, that the police is using the legal apparatus to silence the parallel narratives on the ground. The Indian Government has set up a committee to look into the issues related to the Indian press after it dropped down four places to 142 in 2020 from 138 in 2018 from amongst 180 nations in the Press Freedom index. Days later, a new media policy, which legalizing the illegal, was framed for journalists in Jammu Kashmir.
Hello Jagdish Singh, Does your cute grand daughter know about your part time job of abusing people on social media?
I suggest you to change your profile pic. https://t.co/ZUxuOnaI0v pic.twitter.com/SwBe5i6z4k— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) August 6, 2020
What has Zubair Done?
Zubair had responded to an abusive message from a Twitter user by posting a message with respect to Jagdish Singh’s display photo on Twitter, which was that of a little girl, who is claimed to be his granddaughter.
Zubair had said in his response, “Hello Jagdish Singh. Does your cute granddaughter know about your part-time job of abusing people on social media? I suggest you change your profile pic.”
Though Zubair had blurred out the face of the child, the action against Zubair triggered a huge controversy online, with people calling out the NCPCR, and showing support for Zubair.
Twitter users pointed out that this is what happens to people when they stand up to the system. Many just tweeted with the hashtag #IStandWithZubair and it was trending on Twitter.
LOOK: @chrgovph chair Chito Gascon joins Rappler staff, journalists and media students during Black Friday Protest for press freedom here at UP Diliman #DefendPressFreedom | @JhessetEnanoINQ pic.twitter.com/DSv5CYiEHQ
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) January 26, 2018
Government’s way: The highway
The Indian authorities have displayed minimal willingness to take note of abusive users on social media platforms, if they favour the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Instead, the lens focused on those who highlight these abuses – Zubair’s case leads to evidently untenable charges against a journalist who frequently calls out the BJP’s IT cell.
Though the courts have hardly been active to take a check on these blatant fascist efforts, it is incumbent upon the magistrates and judges that often do not pay attention to matters like this and choose not to apply their legal knowledge to ensure that journalists like Zubair are not hounded by authorities for simply doing their jobs.
Arguably, if Zubair can be accused under certain sections of the law pertaining to harassing and torturing a minor girl online, the very same charge can be laid at the feet of “Jagdish Singh”, who chose to post profane Twitter messages with an un-blurred photograph of the minor. Wouldn’t that be a cause for “mental trauma” to the child, as the commission sees it?
International Press Institute: “the rapid decline in India’s press freedom is alarming” pic.twitter.com/kAUtw9vhhE
— Seema Chishti (@seemay) May 16, 2020
The suppression of press- History
L.K. Advani, the former deputy prime minister of India, said that during the Emergency of 1975-77 the Indian media was asked to bend but it crawled. Under the present Indian regime, the Indian media has done Shaashtaang Namaskar—it has prostrated itself before the government. Journalists who did brave reporting, like Karan Thapar and Punya Prasun Bajpai, have been sacked in the past.
Historical experience shows that whenever there is an economic crisis like India has seen post 2012, fascist tendencies arise—as it happened in Italy in 1922 and in Germany in 1933—and freedom of speech and liberty is suppressed.
Same is the case with the India subcontinent, the economies of both India and Pakistan have tanked, with many industries closing down or drastically cutting production, resulting in massive layoffs and record unemployment, and with the global pandemic taking a centre stage, the problems of unemployment have exaggerated further.
Consequently, the rulers have felt that their position is endangered since now mass public demonstrations and protests are bound to arise so they are preparing for the inevitable, hence disallowing the luxury of giving people and the media freedom of expression any more.
The political rulers put pressure on media owners to sack journalists who are too independent or criticise the government, and the media owners, who are in business, almost invariably comply.
The days of press freedom in India and the subcontinent are over.