INDIA parties condemn NewsClick raids, says govt targeting those who speak truth to power

New Delhi: Opposition bloc INDIA on Tuesday strongly condemned the raids on journalists linked to online news portal NewsClick and alleged that the BJP government’s "coercive" actions are directed only against those who speak truth to power and not against those who spread hatred and divisiveness.

The Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) said in a statement that the government has also tried to convert the media into a mouthpiece for its partisan and ideological interests by facilitating the takeover of media organisations by crony capitalists.

"Both the government and its ideologically aligned organisations have resorted to reprisals against individual journalists who spoke truth to power. Furthermore, the BJP government has also spearheaded regressive policies like the Information Technology Rules 2021 that constrict the media from reporting objectively. In doing so, the BJP is not only hiding its sins of omissions and commission from the people of India. It is also compromising India’s global standing as a mature democracy," the opposition alliance said in the statement.

"The BJP government’s coercive actions are invariably directed against only those media organisations and journalists that speak truth to power. Ironically, the BJP government is paralysed when it comes to taking action against those journalists inciting hatred and divisiveness in the nation," it said.

It would behove the government, the opposition alliance said, to focus on genuine issues of concern to the nation and the people, and stop attacking the media to distract attention from its failures.

Delhi Police's Special Cell searched 30 locations connected with online news portal NewsClick and its journalists in a case filed under the anti-terror law UAPA following allegations that it received money for pro-China propaganda.

Some journalists, including Urmilesh and Abhishar Sharma, were taken to the Lodhi Road Special Cell office for questioning. Sources said a list of 25 questions was posed to them.

According to the statement, the INDIA parties strongly condemn the government's fresh attack on the media. "We steadfastly stand with the media and for the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and expression," it said.

In the last nine years, the BJP government has deliberately persecuted and suppressed the media by deploying investigative agencies to suppress the British Broadcasting Corporation, Newslaundry, Dainik Bhaskar, Bharat Samachar, the Kashmir Walla, the Wire etc., and most recently the journalists of NewsClick, the opposition parties said.