In a series of events that have raised concerns over press freedom in India, the Delhi Police conducted raids on multiple journalists and the office of the online news portal Newsclick on Tuesday morning. The raids were carried out in connection with an investigation into the funding of Newsclick, sparking allegations of government censorship against independent media outlets.
The police action is linked to a case registered on August 17, 2023, under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 120B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. Among those targeted in the raids were the website’s editor, Prabir Purkayastha, journalists Abhisar Sharma, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Bhasha Singh, and satirist Sanjay Rajaura. Their electronic devices, including phones and laptops, were reportedly seized by the police.
Similar action was taken against activist Teesta Setalvad, director of the think tank Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, which had contributed articles to Newsclick. In total, over 30 locations were subjected to searches, raising questions about the scale and timing of these actions.
This recent crackdown follows an earlier report published by The New York Times on August 5, 2023, alleging that Newsclick had received funds from a network centered around American millionaire Neville Roy Singham to spread “Chinese propaganda” globally. The report claimed that Singham had close ties with the “Chinese government media machine” and promoted its viewpoints in various countries. Prabir Purkayastha vehemently denied these allegations, stating that Newsclick was not a mouthpiece for the Communist Party of China.
However, it’s worth noting that this is not the first time the Modi government has faced accusations of targeting independent media. Since 2015, several media outlets critical of government policies or Prime Minister Modi’s schemes have come under scrutiny, raising concerns about the erosion of press freedom in the country.
Critics argue that these actions against Newsclick and other independent media outlets underscore a broader pattern of stifling dissent and intimidating critical voices in Indian media. They contend that such actions undermine the principles of a free press and the democratic values enshrined in India’s constitution.
In response to the raids, there has been an outpouring of solidarity from various quarters, including over 750 individuals from different walks of life, including the media and academia. These developments have brought the issue of press freedom and government interference in media organizations to the forefront of public discourse, both nationally and internationally.
The Modi government now faces mounting criticism and calls for transparency and accountability regarding its actions against Newsclick and other independent news platforms. This controversy has ignited a broader conversation about the state of media freedom in India and the need for safeguards to protect the independence of the press.
