“No one was spared from the raids targeting the publication Click News”, warned an Indian news site Scrolling. From journalists to young employees, part-time employees to independent contributors: everyone was the target of searches carried out by the Delhi Police on Tuesday 3 October.
“Click News was on the agency’s radar [du gouvernement] for the time being,” continues Scrolling. The website’s editorial staff and the editor-in-chief’s home were searched in February 2021. Click News accused of violating foreign funding laws, which have increasingly been used to target publications and NGOs critical of Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government.
Then, in August, New York Times has stated that Click News financed by American millionaire Neville Roy Singham, and he “tweaks its news coverage with the views of the Chinese government.” Allegations the site denies.
Nearly 30 houses were searched
Earlier this year, Indian government agencies attacked the BBC for financial irregularities after the British channel had just aired a two-part documentary accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of allowing an anti-Muslim pogrom that left around 2,000 people dead in 2002 in Gujarat, while he ruled this state in the west of the country.
Despite this tense context, police raids targeted the team Click News left the country in shock, believe it Scrolling. “This time the search was not limited to the office Click News or to the residence of the promoter and editor. Delhi Police, in some cases accompanied by security agencies, raided the homes of nearly 30 of its employees, many of whom were young journalists with only a few years of experience.”
Independent contributors – many of whom had only written one or two articles for the site – were also targeted: their electronic devices (laptops and phones) were confiscated, and some editors were even arrested.
By the end of the day, police said they had questioned 46 people and arrested the editor-in-chief Click News, Prabir Purkayastha, as well as head of human resources, Amit Chakravarty.
Warning to Indian media
According to the editor-in-chief Telegraph, Calcutta daily newspaper was highly critical of the Indian government, this raid was a warning to the entire media. “If the media continues to ignore these warnings, we are digging our own grave.” said R. Rajagopal, editor-in-chief Telegraph, quoted by the daily Hindu. And to add:
“Click News is a part of the media that covered the farmers’ protest extensively [en 2020-2021]. This raid could be revenge.”
“Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur said he did not need to justify the search, adding that government agencies were free to carry out investigations.” the newspaper reported Hindustan Times. Citing investigations New York Times, Mr Thakur recently claimed that it was exposed “anti-India agenda” from Click News.
The operation was carried out under India’s draconian anti-terrorism laws, making it almost impossible to obtain bail. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government took power in 2014, India was ranked 140th.e ranked among 180 countries in the world in press freedom rankings established by Reporters Without Borders. In 2023, the country ranked 161ste rank.
