Ajay Kumar at 14:14, 16 August 2023

2023-08-16T14:14:48Z

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{{Short description|Constitutionally provided right}}
{{Distinguish|Free Press of India}}
{{Use Indian English|date = June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
'''Freedom of the press in India''' is legally protected by the [[Amendment of the Constitution of India|Amendment]] to the [[constitution of India]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/in-modis-india-journalists-face-bullying-criminal-cases-and-worse/2018/02/13/e8176b72-8695-42ab-abd5-d26aab830d3e_story.html|title=In Modi's India, journalists face bullying, criminal cases and worse |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref> while the [[sovereignty]], national integrity, and moral principles are generally protected by the [[Laws of India|law of India]] to maintain a [[List of national legal systems|hybrid legal system]] for [[Independent media|independent journalism]]. In India, [[media bias]] or [[Disinformation|misleading information]] is restricted under the certain constitutional amendments as described by the country's constitution. The [[Propaganda|media crime]] is covered by the [[Indian Penal Code]] (IPC) which is applicable to all substantive aspects of [[criminal law]].

Nevertheless, freedom of the press in India is subject to certain restrictions, such as defamation law, a lack of protection for [[whistleblower]]s, barriers to information access and constraints caused by public and government [[hostility]] to journalists. The press, including print, television, radio, and internet are nominally amended to express their concerns under the [[List of Acts of the Parliament of India|selected provision]]s such as Article-19 (which became effective from 1950), though it states freedom of "occupation, trade or business" and "freedom of speech and [[Freedom of expression in India|expression]]" without naming "press" in clause "a" and "g".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1142233/ |title=Article 19(1) in The Constitution Of India 1949}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/what-is-article-19-in-the-constitution-of-india/articleshow/73184095.cms|title=What is Article 19 in the Constitution of India: Explained |website=[[The Times of India]]|date=10 January 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/india/explained-section-499-the-defamation-law-in-india-1502696982.html|title=Explained: Section 499 — the defamation law in India|website=[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]] |date=15 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lawcommissionofindia.nic.in/main.htm|title=Back to Law Commission Home Page|website=www.lawcommissionofindia.nic.in}}</ref> The article allows a journalist or [[News media|media industries]] to cover any story and bring it to the audiences without impacting the [[national security]] of the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://14.139.60.114:8080/jspui/bitstream/123456789/688/34/Freedom%2520of%2520the%2520Press%2520in%2520India.pdf|title=Freedom of the Press in India}}</ref>

To protect the intellectual, moral, and [[Fundamental rights in India|fundamental rights]] of the citizens, the government has taken several countermeasures to combat circulating [[Fake news in India|fake news]] and restricting objectionable contents across the multiple platforms. The law of India prohibits spreading or publishing fake news through [[Social media|social]] or mass media, and could lead to imprisonment of a journalist or newspaper ban.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/new-media-policy-for-ut-jk-officials-to-rule-on-fake-news-take-legal-action-6451379/|title=New media policy for UT: J&K officials to rule on 'fake news', take legal action|date=10 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/04/17/fake-news-real-arrests/|title=Fake News, Real Arrests |work=[[Foreign Policy]] |first=Bhavya|last=Dore|date=17 April 2020 }}</ref>

== Global ranking ==
In 2020, India's press freedom rank dropped to 142 out of 180 countries in [[Press Freedom Index]], an annual ranking of countries published by [[Reporters Without Borders]] (RWB), an international non-governmental organization dedicated to safeguard the right to freedom of information. In 2019, the country's press freedom was recorded 140 rank in Press Freedom Index, making it a slight decline than in previous annual report.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theprint.in/india/pressure-to-toe-hindutva-line-sees-india-drop-to-142-on-world-press-freedom-index/406123/|title='Pressure to toe Hindutva line' sees India drop to 142 on World Press Freedom Index |work=[[ThePrint]] |first=Fiza|last=Jha|date=21 April 2020}}</ref> The India's global index rank was declined for several issues such as killings of journalists, restrictions imposed on news media, [[censorship in Kashmir]], and [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] which has been a [[Kashmir conflict|subject of dispute]] between India and Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/opinion/over-reliance-on-advertising-revenue-not-immune-to-the-levers-of-the-state-has-whittled-down-the-freedom-of-the-press-in-india/cid/1768623|title=On all fours: The press freedom|website=[[The Telegraph (India)|The Telegraph]]}}</ref>

Targeting victims such as [[physical abuse]] against journalists and [[Hate crime|prejudice]] is one of the other reasons for the decline in the world ranking index.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/indias-ranking-in-press-freedom-falls-to-138/article23679187.ece|title=India's ranking in press freedom falls to 138|date=26 April 2018|work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref> In 2017, the country was ranked 136 out of 180 nations, and later it declined to 138 in 2018 in the world index report.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/pci-rejects-world-press-freedom-index-citing-lack-of-clarity/article23791829.ece|title=PCI rejects World Press Freedom Index citing 'lack of clarity'|date=6 May 2018|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

The 2022 edition of the World Press Freedom Index, which assesses the state of [[journalism]] in 180 countries and territories, reveals that India's ranking fell from 133 in 2016 to 150 in 2021. [[Reporters Without Borders]] (RSF) released the Index on 3 May 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-03 |title=India Slips 8 Notches to 150 out of 180 Countries in World Press Freedom Index |url=https://www.newsclick.in/india-slips-8-notches-150-out-180-countries-world-press-freedom-index |access-date=2022-08-14 |website=NewsClick |language=en}}</ref>

=== Reactions ===
The [[Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (India)|Ministry of Information and Broadcasting]] criticised the report published by the Reporters Without Borders in 2020 citing "the surveys portray a bad picture about ''[[freedom of press]]'' in India".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-slips-in-press-freedom-rankings-javadekar-slams-report/article31494652.ece|title=India slips in press freedom rankings; Javadekar slams report|date=3 May 2020|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

== Censorship on press ==
{{Main|Censorship in India}}
In 1956, a private bill introduced by [[Feroz Gandhi]] called Parliamentary Proceedings became a crucial law in the history of Indian press freedom.<ref name="Mathrubhumi">{{cite news |title=അന്നാദ്യമായി ഇന്ദിര ഫാസിസ്റ്റ് എന്ന വിളി കേട്ടു, പിന്നെ വീട്ടിൽ നിന്ന് ഇറങ്ങിപ്പോയി |url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/in-depth/features/remembering-feroze-gandhi-husband-of-indira-gandhi-1.7608550 |work=[[Mathrubhumi]] |date=15 June 2022 |language=ml }}</ref> But this law was repealed by the then Indian Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]] during [[The Emergency (India)|Emergency]] in 1975.<ref name="Mathrubhumi"/> As part of the Emergency, Indira Gandhi made complete restriction over the press, banning all domestic and international news, expelling many foreign journalists and correspondents and revoking the accreditation of over 40 Indian reporters.<ref name="jagran">{{cite web |title=World Press Freedom Day: When press in India faced its darkest hour during emergency {{!}} Jagran Trending |url=https://english.jagran.com/india/world-press-freedom-day-how-press-in-india-faced-its-darkest-hour-during-emergency-jagran-trending-10043013 |website=English Jagran |language=en |date=6 May 2022}}</ref> Many historians believe that she was intimidated by the growing criticism of her government and feared that the press was supporting the movement started by [[Jayaprakash Narayan]].<ref name="jagran"/>

In 2020, the [[Press Council of India]], a state-owned body argued that government authorities, including state police's censorship on mass media is unfavorable citing "intimidation" of journalists and the "curtailment" of press freedom. The country's news outlets and their associated journalists were allegedly charged with [[sedition]] and [[Criminal procedure|criminal prosecution]] charges by the authorities. The Press Club of India (PCI) described charges against journalists as a "string of seemingly malafide actions". The organization claims that the [[Government of India|federal government of India]] was responsible for unfavorable censorship of press and journalists.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/nation/media-bodies-slam-authorities-for-curtailing-press-freedom-85244|title=Media bodies slam authorities for 'curtailing' press freedom|first=Tribune News|last=Service|website=Tribuneindia News Service}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/media/press-club-gujarati-editor-himachal|title=Press Club of India Slams Police Action Against Gujarati Editor, FIRs Against Himachal Scribes|website=The Wire}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/media/press-freedom-in-india-over-the-years|title=The Fate of Press Freedom in India Over the Years|website=The Wire}}</ref> The [[International Press Institute]] (IPI), an international organizations dedicated to the improvement of journalistic practices, claims that the government of India is responsible for restricting journalists covering [[COVID-19 pandemic in India|COVID-19 pandemic]]-related reports in the country.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2020/05/covid-19-and-shrinking-press-freedom-in-india/|title=COVID-19 and Shrinking Press Freedom in India|first=Bansari|last=Kamdar|website=thediplomat.com}}</ref>

In 2020, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting blocked the [[MediaOne TV]] temporarily for covering a news about the "mob attacks on Muslims" in the country's capital New Delhi. The channel was later resumed after a period of 48 hours.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/02/world/asia/modi-india-press-media.html|title=Under Modi, India's Press Is Not So Free Anymore|first1=Vindu|last1=Goel|first2=Jeffrey|last2=Gettleman|first3=Saumya|last3=Khandelwal|date=2 April 2020|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> The [[Jammu and Kashmir Police]], a law enforcement and counterinsurgency agency, often interrogate journalists while some are charged and arrested over national security reportage and nominally defamatory news stories involving government.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/03/journalism-kashmir-state-repression-media-watchdog-200318064232321.html|title=Journalism in Kashmir in 'state of repression': Media watchdog|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> The [[Government of Jammu and Kashmir|state administration]] of Jammu and Kashmir also indefinitely stopped giving government ads to newspapers, including ''[[Greater Kashmir]]'' and ''[[Kashmir Reader]]'' running in the [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu Jammu and Kashmir union territory]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jk-govt-stopped-advertisements-newspapers-kashmir-editors-guild-5597901/|title=J&K govt has stopped advertisements in two newspapers, alleges Kashmir Editors Guild|date=23 February 2019}}</ref> while the federal government banned ''[[Times of India]]'', ''[[The Hindu]]'' and ''[[Telegraph India]]'' temporarily from running government ads on their platforms.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/india-modi-government-media-ad-spending-newspapers-press-freedom-a8990451.html|title=How Modi government uses ad spending to 'reward or punish' Indian media|date=7 July 2019|website=The Independent}}</ref>

Sometimes, only news that favours the government is published by the local media, whilst news that covers the [[Economy of India|economic]] and [[Political violence|political problem]]s in the country, or criticisms of the government faces government-issued warnings. It is claimed that the [[Print media|print]] and [[Broadcast network|broadcasting media]] carry stories on the bases of [[emotion]]s or under the political pressure of the party in power,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/08/02/indias-media-cant-speak-truth-to-power-modi-bjp-journalism/|title=India's Media Can't Speak Truth to Power |work=Foreign Policy |first=Raksha|last=Kumar|date=2 August 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/12/09/blood-and-soil-in-narendra-modis-india|title=Blood and Soil in Narendra Modi's India|first=Dexter|last=Filkins |author-link=Dexter Filkins |magazine=[[The New Yorker]]|date=2 December 2019 }}</ref> while the domestic media outlets are claimed to support leaders' arguments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/938885/indias-media-saw-modis-us-visit-as-a-great-success-but-americans-themselves-barely-noticed-it|title=The Indian media saw Modi's US visit as a great success. But Americans themselves barely noticed it|first=Shoaib|last=Daniyal|website=Scroll.in|date=29 September 2019 }}</ref> Indian media is often criticized for carrying media war during military conflicts, and expressing one-sided identification with vigorous support for their interests.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47481757|title=India and Pakistan: How the war was fought in TV studios|work=BBC News |date=10 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ids.ac.uk/opinions/could-better-accountability-put-a-stop-to-india-and-pakistans-war-mongering/|title=Could better accountability put a stop to India and Pakistan's war-mongering?|website=www.ids.ac.uk|date=6 March 2019 }}</ref> Several media outlets act as cheerleaders by publishing the [[political agenda]] of the ruling party's leaders. The constitution of India protects freedom of speech and freedom of the press. However, critics state that press freedom is restrained, and the government only encourages speech that supports it and the prevailing ruling party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asiatimes.com/2020/04/corporate-media-a-serious-threat-to-indian-democracy/|title=Corporate media a serious threat to Indian democracy|first=Bhim|last=Bhurtel|date=29 April 2020|website=[[Asia Times]]}}</ref> The government is accused by critics of falsely labelling independent press with "fake news" to try to evade critical observation of the media.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/961681/modi-government-is-misusing-the-fake-news-tag-to-try-to-evade-media-scrutiny|title=Modi government is misusing the 'fake news' tag to try to evade media scrutiny|first=Shoaib|last=Daniyal|website=Scroll.in|date=12 May 2020 }}</ref>

In 2020 or earlier, the government of India issued warnings against the foreign news outlets, including ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[The Guardian]]'', [[Al Jazeera]], ''[[The Washington Post]]'', ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'', ''[[The Economist]]'', [[BBC]], and ''[[Huffington Post]]'' for portraying India's image negatively.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/india-news-sarkar-unhappy-with-india-as-seen-from-abroad/302944|title=India As Seen From Abroad: Why Government Is Angry With Foreign Media |website=[[Outlook (Indian magazine)|Outlook]]}}</ref>

Reporters Without Borders stated that followers of [[Hindutva]] are attempting to censor claimed "anti-national" thoughts. Coordinated hate campaigns by Hindutva followers against journalists critical of Hindutva sometimes call for those journalists to be murdered. Journalists critical of the government often suffer from criminal prosecutions, with [[Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code]] often being cited by prosecutors.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2020|title=India: Modi tightens his grip on the media|url=https://rsf.org/en/india|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Reporters Without Borders}}</ref>

In February 2023, the government raided the offices of the [[BBC]], accusing it of corruption and tax evasion, shortly after it aired a documentary (which the government banned) critical of Modi for his involvement with anti-Muslim violence.<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2023/04/03/1167041720/india-press-freedom-journalists-modi-bbc-documentary With raids, arrests and hostile takeovers, India press freedom continues to decline]</ref>

== Attacks on journalists ==
Several journalists such as [[Sagarika Ghose]], [[Ravish Kumar]] have said that they were subjected to harassment, intimidation including death and rape threats when they were skeptical of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] government. [[Bobby Ghosh]], the editor of the ''[[Hindustan Times]]'' resigned in September 2018 shortly after the Prime Minister [[Narendra Modi]] reportedly met [[Shobhana Bhartia]], the owner of the newspaper.<ref>{{cite web|last=Srivas|first=Anuj|date=6 March 2018|title=Hindustan Times Editor's Exit Preceded by Meeting Between Modi, Newspaper Owner|url=https://thewire.in/media/hindustan-times-bobby-ghosh-narendra-modi-shobhana-bhartia|access-date=20 December 2020|website=[[The Wire (India)|The Wire]]}}</ref> The incident occurred after Ghosh opened a portal called the Hate Tracker on the newspaper, a database for tracking violent crimes motivated by race, religion and sexual orientation. The database was later taken down.<ref>{{cite web|date=25 October 2017|title=Hindustan Times pulls down its Hate Tracker|url=https://www.newslaundry.com/2017/10/25/hindustan-times-pulls-down-its-ht-hate-tracker|access-date=20 December 2020|website=[[Newslaundry]]}}</ref><ref name="RajuG">{{Cite news|last=Gopalakrishnan|first=Raju|date=27 April 2018|title=Indian journalists say they are intimidated, ostracised if they criticise Modi and the BJP|work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/india-politics-media-analysis-idINKBN1HY0AQ}}</ref>

At least three journalists were killed in 2017 in connection with their jobs. [[Reporters Without Borders]] stated [[Gauri Lankesh]] a proponent of secularism and a critic of right-wing forces was shot dead outside her house. A member of a [[Hindutva|Hindu nationalist]] group was arrested for killing Lankesh.<ref name="RajuG" /><ref>{{Cite news|date=10 January 2020|title=Fresh arrest in Gauri Lankesh murder case, accused held in Jharkhand|work=[[India Today]]|agency=[[Press Trust of India]]|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/fresh-arrest-gauri-lankesh-murder-case-accused-held-jharkhand-1635534-2020-01-10}}</ref> A report stated that between 2014 and 2019, 40 journalists were killed and at least 198 severe attacks on journalists were reported, of which, 36 occurred in 2019 alone.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Mantri|first=Geetika|date=23 December 2019|title=40 journalists killed in India, 198 serious attacks in last five years, finds study|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/40-journalists-killed-india-198-serious-attacks-last-five-years-finds-study-114646|access-date=23 December 2020|website=[[The News Minute]]|language=en}}</ref>

Reports Without Borders stated that journalists suffer from violence from the police, political activists, criminal groups, and corrupt local officials.<ref name=":0" />

== Cult of personality ==
The media have consistently upheld the [[Cult of personality|personality cult]] of the leaders since the country's formation. It reported on the activities of the leader, regularly reporting on their political campaigns, frequently including "advertisements" to ruling parties through radio, television and [[Newspaper display advertising|Newspaper display ads]]. Previously, media would refer to [[2014 Indian general election]] campaign of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]], a major political party as the "''Abki Baar, Modi Sarkar''" (this time Modi government). The political slogan was heavily covered by news media in the country.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kazmin |first=Amy |date=8 April 2014 |url=https://www.ft.com/content/96b8ca94-bed0-11e3-a1bf-00144feabdc0|title=Modi personality cult dominates India election |website=[[Financial Times]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419213824/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/96b8ca94-bed0-11e3-a1bf-00144feabdc0.html?siteedition=intl |archive-date=19 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://scroll.in/article/721624/abki-baar-modi-sarkar-whose-line-was-it-anyway|title=Abki baar Modi sarkar: whose line was it anyway?|first=Ullekh|last=NP|website=Scroll.in|date=19 April 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/article/889869/media-freedom-in-the-modi-age-the-cat-and-mouse-game-is-set-to-get-more-fierce-as-2019-nears|title=Media freedom in the Modi age: The cat-and-mouse game is set to get more fierce as 2019 nears|first=Anjali|last=Mody|website=Scroll.in|date=13 August 2018 }}</ref> Media reports in India that support the ruling party are criticized as being often one-sided and exaggerated, playing little or no role in gathering true information and providing propaganda on their platforms. The independent newspapers running in the country covered [[2019 Indian general election|2019 general election]] with a focus on [[Narendra Modi]], inadvertently giving him more coverage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thediplomat.com/2019/05/how-indias-liberal-media-facilitated-narendra-modis-reelection-sweep/|title=How India's Liberal Media Facilitated Narendra Modi's Reelection Sweep|first=Vishal|last=Arora|website=thediplomat.com}}</ref>

The CMS Media Lab, a [[nonpartisanism]] subsidiary of the research organisation CMS stated in its report that Modi, the current prime minister,{{efn|Year 2020}} received 33.21% of the primetime news coverage during his last election campaign while the competitors' political parties such as [[Aam Aadmi Party]] led by [[Arvind Kejriwal]] received 10.31% media coverage and the [[Indian National Congress]] candidate [[Rahul Gandhi]] received 4.33% prime-time news telecast coverage.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/loksabha2014/Modi-got-most-prime-time-coverage-study/article11639092.ece|title=Modi got most prime-time coverage: study|first=Rukmini|last=S|date=8 May 2014|work=The Hindu}}</ref>

==See also ==
*[[Freedom of the press in British India]]
*[[Editors Guild of India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Notes===
{{notelist}}

[[Category:Law of India]]
[[Category:Freedom of information in India]]
[[Category:Censorship in India]]
[[Category:Freedom of the press by country|India]]

Freedom of the press in India - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 14:14, 16 August 2023