Modi in US | 'Press freedom is under attack in India', say global journalist bodies

On the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in Washington on a State visit on Wednesday (June 21), the Washington Post, in a “public service initiative”, featured a message titled, “Press Freedom is under attack in India”.

It was released under the banner of “Press Freedom Partnership”, and is a joint message from eight global journalist organisations in the US, including The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and The Global Network for Independent Media.

The public service message read, “India is the world’s largest democracy, yet it is one of the world’s most dangerous countries for the media. Press freedom is under increasing threat, with journalists facing physical violence, harassment, bogus lawsuits, and hate campaigns on social media.”

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“This week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes an official state visit to the White House. Leaders around the world who value democracy must urge those in power in India to stop the threats against journalists there. Democracy depends on a free press,” continued the message.

“We stand with the courageous journalists in India who are detained for reporting the news,” concluded the message.

(With agency inputs)