It is the independent news media which is the first target of all oppressive administrative set-ups. Thirty five years ago, there was total censorship on the news media during emergency. Several journalists, who did not like this and continued with their write-ups that reflected the society, were pushed behind the bars. But leaders of the present BJP administration who have tasted the ill-effects of dictatorial rule during the emergency, during their past three year tenure and also the previous regime along with the JD(S), have been trying to curtail the freedom of Press in one way or the other by using the police department as a tool.
The BJP government has revealed its true fascist colour by issuing notices and warrants to the newspaper editors, reporters and managements with a view to control them and force them to act to their tunes.
Recently, when Prajavani published an interview with a Maoist leader, a notice was served to the Shimoga correspondent of the daily and also it’s Executive Editor and they were forced to reveal the source of the news. The Editors’ Guild of India has reacted sharply to this and has even cautioned the Karnataka police against its anti-media stance.
Prior to this incident, the filing of an FIR against Rati Rao, a human rights activist and editor of PUCL journal, had sent shock waves among human rights activists.
The atrocities committed on the Karavali Ale promoters, at the behest of the home minister himself, is all now a history. In another instance, an editor in Tumkur district is fixed in over a dozen cases by the government and is forced to run from one court to another in different towns. The government is targeting the independent media in this manner in every district. Among television channels, the government which registered several cases against TV9, later withdrew the same.
On the other hand, the government is also pursing the Carrot and Stick policy to control the media, by issuing advertisements liberally to that section of the media which is loyal to it. Already former High Court judge Justice MF Saldanha has raised voice against this. Complaints have also been made to the governor. Moreover, the comments on independent media published by the home minister in his blog, in a derogative fashion, also reflects the government’s stance on the media.
The tragedy however is that neither the journalists organizations nor the Media Academy has opted a definite stance on the issue after taking such matters seriously. Journalists organizations like the KUWJ has even turned a blind eye to the harassment meted out to district and regional dailies by the government -the reason being that most of its prominent office bearers are those from large newspaper establishments. These dailies raise their voice only when some issue affects them. They are also capable of protecting themselves and it is also not an easy task for the government to finish off a state or national level newspaper. But the district and regional newspapers which function fearlessly undoubtedly need the support of the large newspapers, journalists’ organizations as well as the civil society.
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