The Background:
The assault on Independent media is on. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided the residences of several officials and journalists associated with NewsClick.in, an independent news portal based in New Delhi.
Its directors, including editor-in Chief Prabir Purkayastha and Editor, Pranjal, residences were raided. In a brief statement the news portal has said, “Truth shall prevail. We have full faith in the legal system.” Till evening the raids were going on.
Githa Hariharan of Newsclick wants friends to know that the raids are still ongoing. She is well. In solidarity with her and the Newsclick team!
— pamela philipose (@pamelaphilipose) February 9, 2021
Meanwhile, various news organisations and senior journalists took to social media and said that this latest ED raid is nothing but government’s attempt to harass journalist and muzzle the independent media. Whosoever is not toeing the government’s line would be intimidated.
DIGIPUB News India Foundation, formed by digital media organisations and freelancers, issued a statement and strongly condemned the raid. NewsClick editor Prabir Purkayastha is DIGIPUB’s vice chairperson.
DIGIPUB News India Foundation strongly condemns the raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate at the office of @newsclickin, and the homes of its directors and Editor Prabir Purkayastha. pic.twitter.com/vz9Syb4gJF
— DIGIPUB News India Foundation (@DigipubIndia) February 9, 2021
Here are some more tweets condemning this incident.
Sedition cases, UAPA, FIRs for 153, 505, etc, frivolous defamation suits and now ED raids, this is how the government handles India’s independent media. @newsclickin is the latest target… https://t.co/RSsMLOqTfK via @thewire_in
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) February 9, 2021
Modi government’s assault on media continues with ED raid on @newsclickin office, homes of owner Prabir Purkayastha and editor Pranjal, in Delhi. NewsClick was one of the last bastions of critical reporting on the government’s policies.@KashifKakvi @abhisar_sharma @newsclickin
— Rishav Raj Singh (@catch_rishav) February 9, 2021
The Congress too tweeted.
The future of any democracy relies on the freedom of media, which have been subjugated, suppressed and stifled by ED raids. The ED raids on @newsclickin reflect Modi government's constant efforts to curb its own accountability.https://t.co/DJiahdupP5
— Congress, Minority Department (@INCMinority) February 9, 2021
Condemning this action, the CPIML (Liberation) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya tweeted, “…The attack on #Newsclick is an application of the Modi doctrine of demonisation of dissent and assault on independent media, especially sections of media that focuses on struggles for justice, people’s rights and the constitutional vision of a secular democratic republic.”
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