-Ramesh Chander 

(Samaj Weekly)- It is said that in a democracy, Media is the Fourth Estate/Pillar of the State besides; Executive, Legislature and Judiciary. The Article 19 of the constitution of India states that ‘All citizens shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression’. Media seeks its legitimacy and authority to be ‘free and fair’ from these provisions. The chief architect of the constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar while explaining the matter in the Constituent Assembly said that no special mention of the freedom of press was necessary at all as the press and an individual or a citizen were the same as far as their right of expression was concerned. The UN Declaration of Human Rights also stipulates that ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.’ The purpose of a free press is to ensure that the people are free to receive and impart information that is not manipulated or serving a particular person, entity or interest. Freedom of press is critical to a democracy in which the government is accountable to the people. A free media functions as a watchdog that can investigate and report on government wrongdoing. But do the Indian media qualify itself in terms of the above mentioned general stipulations for the media in a democratic country and a free society? The answer would be in the negative, unfortunately. Here comes the new nomenclature of the Indian Media – The Godi Media. I have ventured to undertake this difficult job to say something on the ‘Godi Modi’, a dangerous job as a layman and a concerned citizen, lest I am declared a traitor- a Gadhar. Let us see what experts say on the subject, “Today’s media, under either threat, luring or manipulations, is not only crawling but is happily licking the ‘boots’ of the present regime and wagging their tails to appease their ‘masters’ by overzealous publicizing government’s narratives.” said Apurva Trivedi, a journalist in India who has been working in the field for over 19 years. “Not only owners but most of the journalists have towed the line, either as a survival instinct or willingly. And that is the beginning of the end of journalism which used to be in India and which ought to be in India,” he added. It sets the position in perspective. “

In fact, as far as I understand, media was never free and fair in India both under the colonial rule and even after independence. Bal Gangadhr Tilak’s mouthpieces, The Kesri and The Maharatta stood with the Manuwadi mindset and opposed Joytirao Phule and Savitri Phule’s progressive and reformist agenda of help to the under privileged. I read that the Kesri refused to carry a paid advertisement of the Mooknayak of Babasaheb Ambedkar as Tilak did not agree with Ambedkar on his views on Hinduism and dalit rights. The mouthpieces of Mahatma Gandhi like; The Harijan, The Young India and the Navjivan always opposed and maligned the spokesmen of the oppressed led by Babasaheb Ambedkar on the same account.   We ushered ourselves into a democratic system with the new constitution. Unfortunately, media remained in the hands of big industrial houses and sectarian vested interests of the mainstream of the society to carry their own agenda without caring for the civic or public issues of interest and concern. Most of the majors in the media joined hands on the declaration of national emergency in 1975 by PM Indira Gandhi. This unity, to my mind, was not to stand for free and fair media but to oppose Indira Gandhi and the emergency. As of today, there is hardly any newspaper which is dedicated to the issues of the poor and marginalized segments of the society. The captive media does not engage and encourage dalit journalists and as such deprived sections of the society do not have any say in the media. Of late, some of the dalit journalists have resorted to the social media and have become vocal. It is a good omen and right step in the right direction. The main stream of the media, both print and electronic, is blissfully ignorant and silent on the ‘public centric’ issues.

Any sane person watching the prime time so called debate shows in the evening on the TV channels in India could see and make ones on assessment. Mine understanding of the scenario  is definitely worrisome. Someone has rightly commented, “Press is supposed to be the voice of the public to the government, but in modern times, a contrast to this can be observed, where some of the major mainstream media houses are marketing the political parties while criticizing the oppositions parties and not discussing the relevant issues like public welfare, corruption, analysis of government schemes, etc. Though it is also true that forums like WhatsApp, YouTube, and Facebook which are totally independent are have become prone to fake news leading to mob lynching, fear-mongering, hate speech, propaganda spreading and indecency promoting, which highlights the need of some reasonable restrictions of the press.” The self-professed free and fair journalists and anchors – pretty faces like; Chitras, Rubikas, Aditis, Anjnas, Swetas, Himanis among others and laud-mouths like; Arnabs, Sudhirs, Amishs, Amans, Deepaks, inter alia, get busy with their agenda to corner the ‘Nehru Gandhi’ family and the opposition to support the Government and praise the worthies in power. Most of these TV channels come up with almost identical topics and issues as if these have been dictated by someone sitting in the big offices outside and the corridors of power in the South and North Blocks of the Lutyen’s Delhi. Their focus always remains on – Hindu-Muslim divide, projecting the ruling elite, propaganda to malign and downgrade Nehru-Indira-Sonia – Rahul and other opposition leaders. Even the names of the programs like; Halla Bol, Prahar, Taal Thok Ke, Hunkar and so on, sound like ‘war cries’ in the battle fields. The usual topics pertain to – Talak, Jihad, Hizab, Madrasa, Mandir-Masjid – nationalism rather than discrimination against women, untouchability, caste system to clean and transform the society. They have no time to undertake issues of unemployment, price-rise, bad health services, education, corruption (except underlining the dubious role of CBI, ED, Income Tax against the opposition leaders and others not siding with the ruling outfit) and social issues of discrimination and neglect pertaining to the weaker sections of society. The supposed to be the Fourth Pillar of the State has failed the country. Let us not ignore this ground reality before it gets too late.

The situation is getting precarious with the each passing day. Where do we stand in the realm of free and fair media? In 2017, the country was ranked 136 out of 180 nations, and later it declined to 138 in 2018 in the world index report. 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. Scandinavian countries, Finland, Denmark and Sweden top the list of countries having a free and fair media. We must, as the largest democracy of the world, learn something from these countries.  Our Media Bigwigs should have self introspection without delay. The statutory outfits like the Press Council of India have become only cosmetic make up to cover the wrinkles on the face of the Media. They should wake up and do their job. I conclude here with a poetic assertion of Allma Iqbal:

Nahin Minnatkash-e-Taab-e-Shaneedan Dastan Meri
Khamoshi Guftugu Hai, Be-Zubani Hai Zuban Meri

My story is not indebted to the patience of being heard
My silence is my talk, my speechlessness is my speech

Ye Dastoor-e-Zuban Bandi Hai Kaisa Teri Mehfil Mein
Yahan To Baat Karne Ko Tarasti Hai Zuban Meri

Why does this custom of silencing exist in your assembly?
My tongue is tantalized to talk in this assembly