The process of killing dissent, purchasing voices
One of the main tasks that the corporate world did before bringing Modi to the chair of PM, is to kill or buy the media and human rights activists. The process of muzzling the media started with the finishing of ‘Tehelka’ paper. This paper has started a new discourse and order in journalism by conducting sting operation to expose corruption in the defense sector during the tenure of NDA government led by former PM Atal Bihari Vajapayee. The paper had written extensively about Gujarat genocide to ensure the voice of the victims was heard in the international arena.
Hence when it was decided that PM Narendra Modi had to be catapulted to the chair he is sitting in, the first steps that were taken were to ensure Tehelka and the likes were finished rather unceremoniously. Because Tarun Tejpal was at the heights of his fame during that time. Corporate forces worked well enough to ensure he was brought down well in time using his own weaknesses. Tejpal was trapped in sexual harassment charges and the trustworthiness brand Tehelka had created, came down with a massive thud. The progressives were forced to take a stand against Tehelka, which they had supported to grow. A paper that could have made it voice heard against Modi in the run up to the elections, was razed to dust. All the brilliant journalists who had associated with Tehelka had to disperse to join social media or new technology platforms.
This run to raze the voices has only increased since the time Modi assumed power. The government targeted the NGOs and environmentalists and gave them the tag of ‘anti-nationals’. Even NGOs with international reputation such as Green Peace had to suffer during this time. Modi and his cronies knew the opposition party within the parliament is weak, and hence their real opponents are environmentalists, human rights activists, media and NGOs along with anybody who’d raise voice against the government. Hence attempts were kept consistently on to muzzle the voices that differed.
Rajdeep Sardesai and his wife Sagarika Ghosh were forced to resign from CNN-IBN for having kept up their narrative against the violence unleashed by Sangh Parivar. Siddharth Varadarajan also had to leave The Hindu under similar circumstances. IT forces were unleashed against NDTV. Teesta Setalvad was chased which legal cases perched on top of her to no end. Some papers were killed, and some part of the media was bought over. All the journalists who were thus displaced, had to go with internet or new media platforms using social media.
Continuing its hunting of the media persons, government began to file cases against journalists on personal capacity too. Two senior journalists were forced to quit ABP Hindi channel for having filed a contradictory report against the Modi govermment’s schemes. Their only crime was to expose the publicity hungry mentality of Modi, and the total fakeness of the claims on progress made by the government. A government usually issues a rejoinder or a clarification, explaining the reality from its side. Modi has many ways of putting out his reality if he wishes to. The whole thing smells rotten when a govt sets out to muzzle the contradictory voices. This could mean there is a bit of reality in what the critics are saying. The dismissal of ABP journalists is speaking volumes of truth. The corporate world seems to think by threatening the journalists, one can keep away real news from people and thus protect Modi’s image.
At the same time, there is also an indirect attempt on shutting the voice that is insisting on judicial probe of Justice Loya’s death. Justice Loya was hearing the Sohrabuddin fake encounter case. The family had believed Loya died under natural circumstances. But the allegations of Loya being killed for having rejected favours from Amit Shah to make the verdict favourable to him. This has caused huge embarrassment to Amit Shah. Not only the Shah gang has been successful in shutting this topic out, but now they are also busy trying to arm twist the people who brought this fact to light.
Lawyer Satish Uke, the social activist who brought the Loya case out, has now been arrested in a case that was filed 17 years ago. The same lawyer had filed a case against Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in Maharashtra some time ago. Phadnavis was issued a notice against this. And now instead of clarifying its role, the government has arrested the person who filed this case. If this continues, very soon there will be a day when even opposition leaders may be unable to speak against the government. Isn’t this enough to know India is already facing undeclared emergency?
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'Jail ke tale tutengey, Kejriwal chhutengey' slogans greet Sunita Kejriwal during roadshow
New Delhi (PTI): Blue and yellow flags and banners of the Aam Aadmi Party painted Delhi's Kalyanpuri area on Saturday as hundreds of women donning caps and scarfs with the party's logo attended Sunita Kejriwal's maiden roadshow amid "Jail ke tale tutengey, Kejriwal chhutengey" slogans.
Standing through the sunroof of a vehicle, Sunita Kejriwal, whose husband and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest pushed her to the forefront of the AAP's Lok Sabha poll campaign, greeted locals in the Kondli area of East Delhi constituency with folded hands. She was campaigning for AAP's East Delhi candidate Kuldeep Kumar.
As the carcade snaked through the narrow lanes with a sea of AAP supporters carrying the Delhi chief minister's cut-outs, she shook hands with several women and targeted the ruling BJP at the Centre, saying her husband was jailed because he built schools, provided free electricity and opened Mohalla Clinics in the national capital.
Arvind Kejriwal, AAP's national convenor, is behind bars in a money laundering case, linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, currently being investigated by federal agencies.
Flanked by leaders of the Congress, the AAP's partner in the opposition INDIA bloc and ally for the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, Sunita Kejriwal asserted that their alliance will sweep all seats in the national capital as loudspeakers blared patriotic songs.
Folk artists from Uttarakhand were seen performing in the roadshow and raising slogans of 'Jail ka jawab vote se' amid beats of Nashik dhols.
As the roadshow passed through the area, locals lined up the streets to greet the chief minister's wife. Vimla Devi, one of the residents of the area, claimed the arrest of the chief minister just before the elections was not right.
"We feel that the INDIA alliance will sweep the Lok Sabha polls since the chief minister is seeking votes on (the plank of) development. He has given citizens of the national capital a lot of facilities. People will surely vote in his favour," she added.
A resident of the Khichadipur area, Sonu Kumar claimed that voting for the ongoing election seems to have been "fixed".
"The chief minister of Delhi was focusing on development and also asking people to vote for him to further the development of the national capital. The arrest of the sitting CM just before the elections seems to be a political move," he said.
Rajkumar, a resident, said although he supported the arrest of Kejriwal, the timing could have been better. "It should have happened earlier if he has done something wrong," he added.
His brother Rajesh Kumar claimed that the step would surely affect the BJP in the elections.
Kishan Lal, who is a first-time voter, said he wanted AAP to win in Delhi even though he was against the opposition alliance. "I am not in favour of this alliance, but want AAP to win all seven seats (in Delhi) in this election," he added.
Another local, Shriprakash Prasad, who runs a shop in the locality, said that the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal would surely affect the elections as it seems like people will vote in his favour.
"Everyone is happy with Kejriwal and since his wife is campaigning for him, he will also get a good amount of sympathy votes," Prasad said.
Anwari, who shook hands with Sunita Kejriwal, said, "I am very happy that the wife of the chief minister greeted me and also shook hands with me. The crowd at the roadshow was large and this shows that people will also go in large numbers to support them on May 25."
Voting in all seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi will be held in the sixth phase of the general election on May 25.
VIDEO | Here’s what AAP leader and candidate from New Delhi constituency, Somnath Bharti (@attorneybharti), said on ‘AAP Walkathon: Walk for Kejriwal’.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 28, 2024
“No matter how big their corruption is, if anyone joins BJP, they get higher posts in the party. BJP has become more like a… pic.twitter.com/FL9wkd9rxh
