From ‘hobby journalists’ to bulldozer terror, Sainath outlines gagging as a governance tool

In 2020, India’s Press Freedom Index dropped to 142, prompting the Union government to form a committee to improve the ranking. However, veteran journalist P Sainath, a member of the committee, found that none of his points were included in the final report. He highlighted the various forms of gagging in journalism, including by law, outlaws, corporate interests, and self-censorship. Sainath also discussed the rise of billionaires in India and criticized the lavish spending of individuals like Mukesh Ambani. He pointed out instances of censorship and intimidation in media, leading to fear and self-censorship among journalists.