Media: Buy it or Kill it
When democracy becomes increasingly autocratic, the first victim will be the media. If the media is silenced, the autocracy will have no challenge. In the absence of the media, the suppressive ways of the autocracy will never be known properly to the people. An autocratic government chooses two ways to suppress or shut the media. First it buys it. If that is not possible, then destroys it. The media at present is largely bought over by the powers-that-be. As a result, however worse the administration is, the media does not present this to the people and its role is limited to praising the government. One way of silencing the media is to threaten or attack it through goondas and another way is to use existing laws to harass journalists and silence them. The recent statement by the National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM), India’s respected civil rights organization, expressing concern over the increasing attacks on media houses and journalists across India has revealed that along with the media, even democracy is in danger.
The UPA government was also not far behind in misusing laws to silence journalists. Under Narendra Modi now, it has assumed dangerous proportions. In 2020, the country witnessed a 20 per cent increase in arrests of journalists and attacks on media houses. It is also notable that a large number of such cases are reported in states where BJP is in power. Journalists who are honest and those who abide by the principles of their profession are facing threats and violence. Between 2014 and 2019, more than 200 journalists faced physical assaults and several have even died. Even as the anti-CAA movement and farmer protests expanded throughout the country, the restrictions imposed against journalists have started increasing. Journalists who are reporting about the farmer protests are being directly attacked in the recent days. An example of this is the raid conducted by the Enforcement Directorate on the office of online news portal, NewsClick, that has been consistently reporting about the farmers’ protests. NewsClick’s Chief Editor Prabir Purakhayastha and writer Geeta Hariharan were practically kept under house arrest by the officials of the Enforcement Directorate.
Freelance journalist Mandeep Punia who was reporting about the farmer protests at New Delhi borders from the first day was dragged inhumanly and taken into custody. Five FIRs have been filed against famous journalists Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agaa, Caravan Magazine Founder Paresh Nath, Editor Ananth Nath, and Executive Editor Vinod K Jose along with other journalists. A non-bailable warrant was issued against senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurtha for a news story published in The Wire against Corporate giant Adani against which Adani filed a defamation case. Later, the Gujarat High Court not only cancelled the warrant but also directed Thakurtha to appear before a lower court.
In January, the provisions of the draconian Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) were invoked against journalists Dhiren Sadokpam, Paojel Chaoba, and M Joy Luwang for an article published in a newspaper in Manipur. In the last few years, it has become quite common to invoke the provisions of the UAPA against journalists who question and oppose the controversial decisions of the government. In the case of Kerala journalist Siddiqui Kappan who was imprisoned, the Uttar Pradesh government threw all Constitutional norms to the wind. The Uttar Pradesh police filed charges in an unconstitutional manner, invoked provisions of the UAPA, and arrested Kappan who was travelling to report the incident of rape and murder of a Dalit girl in Hathras. Kappan who was jailed on October 20, 2020 had to remain in prison until he was granted a temporary bail on February 15th, 2021.
Article 19 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression to citizens enabling the print and electronic media to function. This is one of the basic tenets of democracy. But the Union and state governments are employing barbaric laws to control information and news. Such a fascist attitude is against the values that the Indian Constitution upholds. Journalists are not safe where democracy is in danger. The increasing attacks on journalists is an indication of democracy being in danger. For journalists, it is like a replay of the dark days of emergency.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
