Journalists slam govt ‘control’ over press

new delhi — A number of journalists and activists on Tuesday attacked the Narendra Modi government for breeding an “environment of fear” among the press.

At a event titled ‘Safeguarding the Constitution: Are the Pillars of Democracy Crumbling’, the panelists decried “muzzling” of the press’s freedom and the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru.

“.... (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi has not done even a single press conference in three years of his government. He likes to have one-way communication only, as through his radio address ‘Mann’ ki Baat’,” the new Indian Express’ consulting editor Gurbir Singh said.

He termed the attempted ban on NDTV news channel one instance of muscle-flexing by the government.

Poet and scientist Gauhar Raza said: “Our society is a rag-tag collective of various factions. How did the birth of such a work (Constitution) come about? I always wonder... If these pillars of democracy (judiciary, legislature, executive, media) are going to crumble one after another then the cost of erecting them again would prove to be much costlier. So, I say that we need to oppose the forces which work towards dividing us, now.”

He contended that if somebody cites what’s written in the Constitution to counter any point made by the government, then “he’s risking his life”.

Annie Raja, general secretary of National Federation of Indian Women, said that people are getting disenchanted with Modi — which was not the case till six months. —