Editorial: Muzzling the media

Survey at BBC is a poor commentary on the state of media freedom in India a country that takes pride in being the 'Mother of democracy’

Hyderabad: A robust, free and independent media is the bedrock of democracy. Despite disagreements with the content, those in power must, at all times, desist from controlling the media narratives. The NDA government’s record in upholding the freedom of not just the media organisations but of all other independent institutions has been pathetic. The latest action targeting the BBC, a reputed global news organisation, is yet another leaf from a discredited playbook of the Centre designed to intimidate the voices of dissent. India’s image as an open, diverse society with a thriving democracy has taken a thorough beating with the Income Tax department conducting a survey, usually a precursor to search and seizure operation, at the offices of the British broadcaster in Delhi and Mumbai. The timing of the move, purportedly a part of an investigation into alleged tax evasion, is highly suspicious. It comes weeks after the government took down the BBC’s controversial two-part documentary ‘India: The Modi Question’, on the Prime Minister and the 2002 Gujarat riots. This is a poor commentary on the state of media freedom in a country that takes pride in being the world’s largest democracy. Being the current president of the G20 group, India can ill-afford such thoughtless actions which will damage the country’s international image. The I-T survey has already triggered widespread condemnation from international and domestic media organisations, human rights bodies and opposition parties. The atmosphere has vitiated so much that central agencies like the Income Tax, CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have become a laughing stock for turning into BJP’s puppets.

The I-T department has claimed that the survey was being carried out to investigate issues related to international taxation and transfer pricing of BBC subsidiary companies and that the broadcaster was ‘defiant and non-compliant’ to the notices served in the past. However, it would be naïve to argue that the row over the documentary had nothing to do with the I-T department’s action. The government had dubbed the documentary as hostile propaganda and “anti-India garbage” and blocked it from sharing on any social media platforms. One may not agree with what has been presented in the documentary, but it would be unbecoming of a responsible government to be vindictive against the media organisation. Using central agencies as weapons to target the critics has become a familiar template now. In the recent past, similar raids have targeted journalists, think tanks, and civil society organisations critical of the government in what is widely seen as a crackdown on dissent. It includes critics being charged with criminal cases under terrorism and sedition laws, and allegations of financial misconduct and improper foreign funding that have been used to freeze bank accounts. Following a raid against Amnesty International in September 2020, the organisation’s bank accounts were frozen. As a result, it was forced to cease operations in India.

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