Modi: Stop the Attacks against Journalists in India

The International Peoples’ Assembly (IPA) strongly condemns the attacks suffered by more than 50 journalists, commentators, researchers, comedians, and activists, as well as media organizations, being led by the Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In the early hours of the morning, the New Delhi Police raided over 100 homes, seized phones and laptops, harassed and interrogated dozens of people – including journalists and commentators –, and arrested two, in another attack on press freedom.

The popular progressive outlet NewsClick is a prime target of the most recent attacks, its Chief Editor Prabir Purkayastha and administrator Amit Chakraborty have been arrested as part of the repressive actions taken by Delhi Police. NewsClick is widely recognized for providing accurate news coverage on the 2019 farmers strike, the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and recent investigations of the linkages between the Adani Group and the government of Narendra Modi.

Over the past nine years in India, the BJP-led Union government has persecuted and suppressed journalists and media houses that speak truth about power and cover people’s mobilizations and farmer strikes.

The most recent escalation in attacks against NewsClick is connected to the August publication of a New York Times article which insinuated that the Indian publication was part of global operation aimed at promoting the interests of the Chinese government.

Despite the lack of any evidence pointing to these connections, the New York Times proceeded to irresponsibly publish a piece that had all the makings of an anti-communist attack against the press freedom and political and civil liberties.

Today’s raids constitute a dangerous attack on press freedom in India and concerns all the democratic and progressive people around the world. The International Peoples’ Assembly (IPA) demands an end to persecution and press suppression in India.