New Delhi, Apr 27: The "threat from (Narendra) Modi's nationalism" is the reason why global media watchdog 'Reporters Without Borders' (RWB) has ranked India an abysmal 136 of 180 countries in its "press freedom" report for 2017.
According to the media watchdog, India, which slipped three places from last year, now ranks closer to China (176) - which doesn't even have an independent press corps - than it does to Norway (1). Even Afghanistan, Burma, Qatar and the UAE rank higher than India.
To be sure, the report said press freedom has taken a huge hit around the world, with the US, UK and Canada too slipping in the rankings. But that's precisely the danger highlighted by RWB - that is, that democracies like India and the US are no longer guarantors for freedom of the press. As RWB said - "Violations of the freedom to inform are less and less the prerogative of authoritarian regimes and dictatorships."
A rising tide of nationalism around the world - exemplified by US President Donald Trump - is a big threat to freedom of the press in many democracies, including in India, the report said.
"With Hindu nationalists trying to purge all manifestations of "anti-national" thought from the national debate, self-censorship is growing in the mainstream media. Journalists are increasingly the targets of online smear campaigns by the most radical nationalists, who vilify them and even threaten physical reprisals," said RWB.
The recent instances of Section 124a, or sedition, being invoked in India have also lead to increased self-censorship, according to RWB.
"Prosecutions are also used to gag journalists who are overly critical of the government, with some prosecutors invoking Section 124a of the penal code, under which 'sedition' is punishable by life imprisonment. No journalist has so far been convicted of sedition but the threat encourages self-censorship," the report said.
The situation in troubled Kashmir - which has seen a spike in violence since security forces killed separatist Burhan Wani last year - also found a mention in RWB's analysis.
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"On the first day of a wave of protests in Kashmir in July 2016, the Internet was cut by the military and was often interrupted thereafter to prevent communication between protesters and prevent coverage by the media and citizen journalists. Journalists working for local media outlets are often the targets of violence by soldiers acting with the central government's tacit consent," said RWB.
The media watchdog indeed painted a grim picture for the press worldwide.
As it said - "The 2017 World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reflects a world in which attacks on the media have become commonplace and strongmen are on the rise. We have reached the age of post-truth, propaganda, and suppression of freedoms - especially in democracies."
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