In the wake of this week’s unprecedented police action against journalists linked to NewsClick, several international news organisations have turned their attention to the searches, seizures and arrests.
Some described NewsClick as a “scrappy outlet” critical of the Narendra Modi government, while others pointed to the invocation of the draconian UAPA, plummeting press freedom in India, and government action against other news outlets in the past.
A report in the New York Times, which had first suggested that NewsClick was part of a Chinese propaganda network led by US businessman Neville Roy Singham, termed NewsClick a “scrappy outlet best known for its sharp invective against Narendra Modi, the country’s right-wing prime minister”.
It noted other instances of official action against news portals. “Tax authorities raided the BBC’s New Delhi offices in February, after one of its channels in Britain aired a documentary examining Mr. Modi’s role in anti-Muslim riots in 2002. Independent Indian think tanks and news outlets like Newslaundry, a media-monitoring site, have been raided and had their access to funding blocked, as have international aid groups like Amnesty International and Oxfam India.”
The Washington Post’s report was headlined “Indian police raid critical media outlet over alleged China ties”. “Founded in 2009, the scrappy news organisation highlights stories of social injustices and discontent against the government. Video commentaries broadcast on YouTube and other social media platforms in English and Hindi make up much of its content. Tuesday’s raids are only the latest action against journalists in India, where press freedom has shrunk dramatically. This year, the country was ranked 161 out of 180 places in the World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.”
An analytical piece on Time magazine’s portal pointed out that the “New York Times has also come under scrutiny for its role in publishing the story that led to the police crackdown, with protests held outside its offices on Tuesday”.
“In a statement published Wednesday, NewsClick rejected all the allegations leveled against it, adding that it still hadn’t received a copy of the First Information Report that outlines official police charges, as required by law. It pushed back against money laundering charges by saying that in the last two years, authorities haven’t called on Purkayastha for questioning, nor filed any charges against the outlet despite possessing all of its information, documents, and communications. It also addressed the New York Times’ claims by saying that it doesn’t publish any news or information ‘at the behest of any Chinese entity or authority, directly or indirectly’.”
A CNN report said the Modi government has been “repeatedly accused of intimidating the press, stifling free speech, and censoring independent news organisations”. It said that the raids have “shaken” and “angered India’s independent media”, who say that the incumbent government has been “tightening their grip on press freedom”.
It quoted author Debasish Roy Chowdhury as saying that “with a few exceptions, India’s national-level legacy mainstream media are at an advanced stage of state capture – television much more than print.”
Meanwhile, in China, most prominent outlets skipped any mention of the searches.
The South China Morning Post republished AFP and AP reports. “The New York Times in August reported that NewsClick was financed by US millionaire Neville Roy Singham, who it said ‘sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points’ – claims Singham rejected,” stated one of the reports.
In Russia too, the NewsClick searches did not find a mention in most mainstream outlets.
In Canada, most prominent media outlets, such as The Globe And Mail as well as the National Post republished agency reports, just like the South China Morning Post.
‘NYT role led to criticism’
In France, a report by Le Monde’s New Delhi correspondent noted that “October 3, 2023 will go down as a dark day for press freedom in India”. “Around 6 am on Tuesday, the homes of 46 journalists and collaborators, linked to NewsClick web portal, but also left-wing personalities, were searched simultaneously in New Delhi and Bombay, then taken to police premises to be held there, interviewed.”
Meanwhile, France24 called the police action a “sweeping media raid” that has raised international concerns over the “situation for media in a country where press freedom has nosedived”.
“Journalists critical of the government complain of harassment, and critics say Modi’s government has sought to pressure rights groups by scrutinising their finances and clamping down on foreign funding,” the report said, adding that New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists has also called the raids “an act of sheer harassment and intimidation”.
An Al Jazeera explainer, meanwhile, pointed to protests outside the New York Times office over the report. “The role of the Times in the crackdown has resulted in criticism and protests. Besides the protest that will take place at the Press Club of India, a protest was held at the New York Times building on Tuesday.” It said the raid on NewsClick has “raised international concerns about the media in India, where press freedom has plummeted”.
In the United Kingdom, a Guardian report by the British daily’s South Asia correspondent was headlined “Delhi police search journalists’ homes in latest raids on media”. The picture that accompanied the report was from the tax searches at the BBC’s India offices earlier this year.
“NewsClick, which is seen as one of the few remaining independent news organisations in India, was under investigation in 2021 and subjected to several raids by government agencies. Activists and media watchdogs expressed concern that the searches were an escalation of a crackdown on independent media and critical voices under the BJP government, led by Narendra Modi. Several independent online news organisations, fact-checkers and think tanks have experienced similar raids and seizure of their devices after publishing material critical of the government,” it stated.
“In February, the offices of the BBC in India underwent a three-day raid by the tax authorities, weeks after the release of a BBC documentary that examined rising tensions between the Indian prime minister and the country’s Muslim minority.”
The BBC also covered the searches. “Started in 2009, NewsClick is an independent news and current affairs website known to be critical of the government. In 2021, it was raided by tax authorities on allegations of breaking India's foreign direct investment rules. The co-ordinated raids at 30 locations on Tuesday are some of the largest and most extensive on India’s media in recent years. Police later confirmed they had arrested Mr Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty, the website’s head of human resources.”
Meanwhile, in Australia, the public broadcaster ABC featured a report on the searches. “The case was filed under a wide-ranging anti-terrorism law that allows charges for ‘anti-national activities’ and has been used against activists, journalists and critics of Mr Modi, some of whom have spent years in jail before going to trial.”
“NewsClick, founded in 2009, is known as a rare Indian news outlet willing to criticise Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A number of other news organisations have been investigated for financial impropriety under Mr Modi’s Hindu nationalist government, as international monitors warn that press freedom is eroding in India.”
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