Is the Press Free in India to Report on Farmers Protest?

While barricades are being put up in a bid to crackdown on farmers' protest, simultaneously there have been FIRs and cases of sedition against several journalists over their reportage of the protest.

Since the incident of the Red Fort violence, over the past couple of weeks, Rajdeep Sardesai, Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath, Anant Nath, Vinod K Hose had cases against them for allegedly misreporting the events and promoting disharmony.

In a separate instance, freelance journalist Mandeep Punia who's a contributor to the caravan, was arrested while reporting at the Singhu border for allegedly misbehaving with the police. While visuals of the police manhandling him at the protest site went viral, prompting the media fraternity to demand for his release, Mr Punia was kept in judicial custody for 14 days without being allowed to see his lawyer until he received his bail on 3 February.

After his release, Mr Punia alleged that he was falsely accused of assaulting the police, and was given a brutal treatment in custody.

As these kind of incidents have been spiking over the last few years, India has also been sliding down the ladder of the world press freedom index. In 2020, india ranked 142nd out of 180 countries.

Is India turning hostile towards free press? What challenges are journalists facing on the ground from the state?

Big Story Episode on blockades at farmers protest sites in Delhi:

Are Blockades at Farmer Protest Sites Needed and Legal?

Producer and Host: Himmat Shaligram Guests: Mandeep Punia, a freelance journalist and contributor to The Caravan

and Patricia Mukhim, a veteran journalist and Editor of The Shillong Times

Editor: Shelly Walia

Music: Big Bang Fuzz

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