By the Editor
Intimidation. Harassment. Fear. These are some terms used in describing the arrest of the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the online news portal NeswClick, Prabir Purkayastha, and raids on the residences of journalists and even contributors having any link whatsoever with the organization, on Tuesday. The arrest of Purkayastha and the hours-long interrogation of over 40 others and seizure of digital devices, including phones and laptops, besides documents, were carried out by the Delhi Police. Those who were allowed to go after the interrogation were, however, not given back their seized devices. The police action was in connection with a case filed in August under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sections of Indian Penal Code, including section 153 A (promoting enmity between groups) and section 120 B (criminal conspiracy). In August, the New York Times had reported that NewsClick was funded by a network that pushes Chinese propaganda.
Earlier, in 2021, the portal was raided by the Enforcement Directorate and income-tax authorities; the organisation’s bank statements and related financial documents and sources of funds were scrutinised as part of the investigations. Yet, according to the news portal, in the last two years, the Enforcement Directorate has not been able to file a complaint accusing it of money laundering while the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police has not been able to file a charge sheet for offences under the Indian Penal Code. Besides, it said, the Income Tax department had also not been able to defend its actions before the courts of law while Purkayastha has not even been called in for questioning by any of these agencies in the last several months. Such claims by the organisation are certainly worth pondering over as these indeed raise doubts over the real intent of the assorted law enforcing agencies.
As would be expected, journalist bodies and opposition parties have come down hard on the BJP-led government at the Centre, accusing it of intimidating the press to keep it from speaking the truth to power. Also, as was to be expected in the face of such criticism, the BJP reminded the Congress of the days of Emergency when press freedom was the victim, adding that the party, therefore, had no right to speak of such virtue after having had trampled upon it; to the BJP, two wrongs can make a right. The Narendra Modi government’s intentions appear rather clear: terrorise independent media outfits to fall in line and join their counterparts who form the ‘godi media’ that the government is comfortable with. This has become important for the BJP with key state elections coming up to be followed by the Lok Sabha election next year, more so with the party not appearing to be headed for any smooth sailing; it certainly would not like its warts to be in the public domain at this juncture.