Modi's idea of free media

Despite apparent differences, the media would collectively agree that the government should ensure a safe working environment for journalists. They cannot be attacked, intimidated or asked to raise certain slogans before asking questions. When an ABP News reporter went to cover an agitation by lawyers against JNU, she was asked to chant "Vande Mataram" before posing any questions to the mob.  
In such a scenario, one would naturally expect the central government to work towards securing journalists so as to safeguard them from being at the receiving end of lynch mobs. But Modi sarkar has other plans. The Indian Express has reported that the government is planning to set up a National Media Analytics Centre (NMAC) to counter negative news.

There is nothing wrong if an incumbent government wishes to publicise its achievements and communicate directly with the populace. In fact it is the government’s right as also its responsibility to clarify on various subjects by way of press releases, briefings and conferences.

However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. The real intention of the government is simply not to avoid misinformation. NMAC appears to be a coordinated effort to crush critical coverage and label journalistic criticism of the government as an anti-national activity aimed towards "fermenting trouble or radicalisation."

The government plans to collect data concerning the background of journalists, website preferences and interest areas. With the help of computer software, NMAC would seek to bring out a pattern and check how many times a journalist has taken a pro- or anti-government stance.

Such surveillance of media persons is meant to ensure harassment of journalists who dare to criticise the government. For what other purpose would the government be interested in knowing how many times a particular journalist has criticised them? The government would selectively use or twist the data to smear the reputation of journalists and initiate personal attacks on them.

If a journalist has criticised the BJP or the government on numerous occasions then he’ll be branded anti-BJP and anti-government. And if you’re anti-government, then it’s safe to assume that you’re part of an "international ploy" to damage India’s reputation (just like Union home minister Rajnath Singh claimed that JNU protests had the backing of Hafiz Saeed on the basis of a fake Twitter handle) and must be sent behind bars.

Those who will maintain a positive outlook towards the government, to be the precise, the BJP, would be awarded with Padma awards. Ask Rajat Sharma and Swapan Dasgupta to know more. One ought to be alarmed at the developments since they expose the paranoid mindset of this government. Their insecurity is such that they have the audacity to suggest that the media is criticising the government with the purpose of creating trouble, radicalisation and mischief in the country. And the much invoked foreign hand is behind all this. Laughable indeed!

Once trained in the art of propaganda and public relations, such journalists would be expected to practise sponsored, propaganda journalism which furthers the saffron agenda. A case in point could be Niti Central. The website began in 2012 with a clear focus on providing impetus to BJP’s 2014 election campaign. “On August 14, 2012, the who’s who of right wing journalism including Arun Shourie, Ashok Malik, Tavleen Singh, Swapan Dasgupta et al. conglomerated and penned articles for a new propaganda website – Niti Central,” wrote TruthofGujarat.com.

In fact Niti Central proudly confessed its role in being PR managers of Modi. The website said, "Between August 2012 and May 2014, Niti Central played a critical role in shaping the political narrative in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha Elections." Now that the objective has been realised, the website has been shut down.

Many such websites appeared sporadically enroute to the 2014 General Elections. One among them was the Indian Republic which was sponsored by Citizens for Accountable Governance (CAG), a volunteer group rooting for Modi & Co. The website devoted a great amount of time in promoting BJP and disappeared soon after the elections formally concluded.

The pattern is such that it leaves very little doubt. Flood the internet with pro-Modi, pro-BJP propaganda. Once the job is done and it becomes clear that the website is the handiwork of a few BJP supporters then shut shop and move over to some other propaganda website. That’s the kind of sponsored journalism exhibited by Niti Central, The Indian Republic and Centre Right India (founded by those who later became founders of Swarajya, another Right wing website).  

Indians must see through the propaganda and recognise the disastrous consequences of a Beijing-style Communication University and a National Media Analytics Centre (NMAC) structured in a manner to help in the surveillance of journalists. The daily abuse on social media, morphed images, allegations of political bias, personal attacks and outright lies about journalists is just the beginning.