To the Warriors of Information,
I’ll begin this letter by extending a big thanks to the journalism fraternity of India for doing their job of not only informing the masses but also holding up the fourth pillar of democracy intact by putting their lives at risk in these times of uncertainty.
But before I write further, I would like to elaborate on what I mean by the term ‘journalism fraternity.’ I, by no means, address this ‘thank you’ letter to all those who made a mockery of this profession that I aspire to pursue one day. To those who used these distressing times as an opportunity to sow the weed of communalism by making baseless allegations against Tableeghi Jamaat. To those who gave platforms to the people making unscientific and baseless claims that could put the lives of millions of Indians at risk. To those who failed to question the government on its incompetency and in fact, became the mouthpiece of the deep state. That said, this letter is addressed to all those who dared to do their jobs efficiently despite the risks posed by the devastating pandemic, salary-cut by economic doldrums and censorship by the government and its agencies.
The onset of the coronavirus brought with it a load of anxiety and uncertainty and this led to chaos all around. In the world of the circulation of fast-paced information where authenticity and veracity take a back seat, it becomes incumbent upon journalists like you to get their feet on the ground, disseminate the verified information and bring forth the issues of the last mile. These were the testing times and you taught some significant lessons for a journalism aspirant like me to learn from the real veterans of the field.
As the COVID-19 cases surged in India, most of the sectors started shifting towards the work-from-home model. But journalists, being the storytellers, cannot sit in the comfort of their homes and tell stories that deserve to be told. Many ground reporters followed migrant workers walking miles, went to the hospital wards to point out the crumbling health infrastructure, investigated the discrepancies in the PM-CARES Fund. And some of you had to bear the brunt of speaking the truth to the power by getting incarcerated for your honest reporting.
Journalists in India are particularly at higher risk of contracting the virus as many are supposed to report from hospitals, crematoriums and other high-risk locations to highlight the problems faced by the public during this deadly pandemic. Despite this heightened risk and rising toll, journalists have not been considered as front-line workers in most states which means they have not been given priority in the vaccination programme. Delhi-based Institute of Perception Studies published an elaborative report on Covid deaths that claimed that during India’s first wave of the pandemic i.e. between April and December 2020, 56 journalists died of COVID-19. During India’s second wave of pandemic between April 1 and May 16 this year, 171 journalists died of COVID-19. The remaining journalists died between January and April, as per the report. A Geneva-based NGO Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), claimed that India was among the top three countries in the world with the most number of covid deaths of journalists.
The journalists and the state have been at loggerheads in the country especially after NDA coming to power in 2014. With the central government bringing censorship laws like IT New Information ACT 2020, the job of speaking the truth to the power has become even tougher. The world’s largest democracy has been ranked 140 out of 180 in World Press Freedom Index 2021 ( IPS ). Doing the job with integrity and honesty in this brazen censorship where you can be behind the bars for merely doing your job is no less than fighting a war on the borders.
Every dinner table conversation in India starts with cribbing about the state of the media. How has the media become a tool for spreading government propaganda and tv debates as shouting matches? The word ‘media’ has become synonymous with armchair Noida TV anchors. It is used so loosely that the efforts of those who are trying to hold the values of this institution alive are not acknowledged and appreciated.
We hope that this letter finds you in high spirits and lets you know that we are watching you. Your efforts are making a big difference in our lives and you are leaving a legacy and some great lessons for the coming generation of journalists.
Warm Regards,
Aman Singh
