Press freedom: India falls to 138 in RSF rankings
New Delhi, April 25: With increasing “physical violence” against journalists reported in India, the country’s ranking in the Press Freedom Index has fallen two places to 138, said a statement from the annual report of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The killing of Gauri Lankesh has been seen as the key reason behind the fall. The report warned that hate crime is another issue plaguing India.
“Hate speech is also an issue in the continent’s other giant, India, which has fallen another two places to 138th. Ever since Narendra Modi became prime minister in 2014, Hindu fundamentalists have been referring to journalists in extremely violent terms,” the report said.
The report also mentioned that, “Any investigative reporting that annoys the ruling party or any criticism of Hindutva, elicits a torrent of online insults and calls for the death of the reporter or writer responsible, most of it coming from the prime minister’s troll army.”
Citing the case of Gauri Lankesh, the Reporters Without Borders(RSF) report said, “The newspaper editor Gauri Lankesh was gunned down outside her home in September after being the target of hate speech and death threats for criticising Hindu supremacy, the caste system and discrimination against women.”
“The physical violence against journalists is largely responsible for India’s low ranking. At least three journalists were murdered in connection with their work. More were killed in circumstances that were unclear, as is often the case in rural areas, where reporters are poorly paid,” according to the RSF ranking.
While India dropped two points, Norway continues to top the list of having the world’s freest press for two consecutive years, the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said. The lowest ranking in the list was North Korea followed by Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and then China.
China’s ranking remained unchanged at 175th position for the second year. Underlining that China’s censorship and surveillance has reached unprecedented levels due to the massive use of new technology, the RSF said foreign reporters are finding it harder to work and ordinary citizens can now be jailed just for sharing content on a social network or during a private chat on a messaging service.
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Intend to allow feeding of pigeons for 2 hours in morning at Dadar Kabutarkhana: BMC to HC
Mumbai, Aug 13 (PTI): The city civic body on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court it intends to allow controlled feeding of pigeons for two hours each morning at the Dadar Kabutarkhana subject to conditions.
A bench of Justices G S Kulkarni and Arif Doctor, however, stated that before granting any such permission, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has to first issue a public notice inviting objections and then take a decision on allowing controlled feeding of the birds at the popular site in Dadar.
Since the BMC's decision to close kabutarkhanas (pigeon feeding spots) in the city and prohibit feeding of pigeons was in larger interest of public health, the sanctity of the same has to be maintained, the court noted, while hearing a bunch of petitions.
Last week, tarpaulin sheets were placed at the Dadar Kabutarkhana, a popular pigeon feeding site, by the BMC to prevent people from offering grains to the birds, a move which had led to protest during which the covers were forcibly removed by agitators.
Pursuant to this, a few individuals submitted an application to the BMC seeking interim arrangements for controlled feeding of the pigeons.
On Wednesday, BMC counsel Ram Apte told the court the civic body intends to permit controlled feeding of the birds from 6 am to 8 am subject to certain conditions.
The bench then questioned if the civic body had first invited objections to the application (seeking nod for controlled pigeon feeding) before taking its decision.
"You (BMC) cannot just allow feeding now once you have already taken a closure decision keeping public health in mind. You will have to take a well considered decision," the HC observed.
Once an application is received, you need to issue a notice and invite objections from people and then take a decision. Once you have taken a decision keeping people's health in mind then you need to maintain that sanctity, the bench affirmed.
The Maharashtra government on Wednesday also submitted a list of 11 names to be part of a committee that would carry out a scientific study on the issue of pigeon feeding at public places and its impact on human health.
The court said the government shall notify the committee by August 20.
Advocate General Birendra Saraf, appearing for the state government, said the committee would comprise officials from state public health and town planning departments and medical experts.
The court was hearing a bunch of petitions filed by people who regularly feed pigeons at kabutarkhanas. The petitioners have challenged the civic body's decision to ban such feedings and close down kabutarkhanas in the metropolis over potential health hazards from the exercise.
The high court had last month refused to grant any interim relief to the petitioners, but had asked the civic authorities not to demolish any heritage kabutarkhanas. The court had also said the BMC could take action as per law against those feeding pigeons at public places.
The Supreme Court had earlier this week refused to intervene in the HC order.
Senior counsel Anil Sakhare, appearing for the petitioners who have sought permission to offer grains to pigeons at the Dadar Kabutarkhana, said once the BMC takes a decision permitting controlled feeding, then they would move the HC seeking modification of the earlier order refusing interim relief.
