I suspect that politicians have reached this same conclusion. They're using this welcome revelation to brazenly silence their detractors.To me it appears that the public at large does not care enough for quality content or real news.Had they cared, they would not have compromised.
Lately, several journalists who were reporting unflatteringly on the political state of affairs landed themselves a calling card from courts. [I know attacks on press freedom are nothing new; but a spate of emails in my inbox suggest that the frequency has increased] To name some:
Bharat Desai (Times of India's Resident Editor), Prashant Dayal (Correspondent) and photographer. Charged with sedition and conspiracy against the state. They had written a series of articles (first article here) on the alleged links of new Ahmedabad police chief O P Mathur with a mafia don and his ability to guarantee security in the city.
Ajay T.G (film maker). Charged with sedition. He supported Dr Binayak Sen (who brought attention to unlawul "encounter" killings in Chattisgarh) through his documentary Anjam. Just before his arrest he was planning a documentary on displacement.
Kumar Ketkar (editor, Loksatta). Residence attacked by a mob from the Shiv Sangram Sanghatana. He had written a satirical piece on plans to instal Shivaji Maharaj's statue in the Arabian Sea.
Prashant Rahi (former correspondent, The Statesman). Arrested under charges of sedition, conspiracy and attempt of waging war against the State. He had been personally involved in movements such as the agitation against Tehri Dam. [His daughter's campaign here]
Rahi's arrest, says a Tehelka story, is closely related in motivation with the arrests of Prafull Jha (former bureau chief, Dainik Bhaskar), Govindam Kutty (editor, People's March), Pittala Srisailam, Lachit Bordoloi. All are journalists who sympathize with and cover the grassroots.
These are just a handful episodes in a an increasing tide of attacks against the media. To my mind, the trend is alarming.
History shows freedom isn't a gift; it is something to fight for.
Yet, I find that just a pitiful 55 people have signed up for their cause; a signing up that requires nothing more than an armchair signature and no further action.
Today the Wall Street Journal reported that India's press is only "partly free"; Freedom House 2008 rankings put it at number 77 among the 195 nations surveyed.
No surprise.
Update: The Chattisgarh police failed to file the chargesheet against Ajay TG within the mandatory 90 day period. So finally, he was granted statutory bail and released from prison on 5 Aug, 2008. However, the police have not yet closed the case. In other words, there are severe restrictions on his freedom to travel and he had furnish a personal bond for bail.
