Media is considered as the fourth pillar of democracy. But, for the last few years there have been attempts to weaken this pillar. If you try to say anything against the government, then your job can be in danger.
The recently launched TV 9 Bharatvarsh is in the headlines. On 31st March, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived to attend the TV 9 Bharatvarsh conclave. Here, in his speech, he counted the work done by the BJP government in the last five years. However, he also said something which led to start of a new controversy.
PM Modi told Ravi Prakash, CEO of the channel, during TV9 Conclave that people who work in their channels do not get tired of criticizing the government. He said to Ravi Prakash, “You have hired those people who have an instinct of abusing me in their blood.”
Ravi Prakash responded to PM Modi by saying, “We are bringing changes in it.”
In response to this, PM Modi lamented while walking and turned to Ravi Prakash and said, “Do not do this, let these miserable people live.”
On this conversation, Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said that the whole incident was “sensational and shameful”. He tweeted, ‘Sensational and shameful! Modi ji’s open threat to TV9. Today, he said to TV9 CEO Ravi Prakash: “You have hired those people who have an instinct of abusing me in their blood.”
TV9 CEO Ravi Prakash said – “We are bringing changes in it”. When PM openly gives threats, journalism will become ‘Godi media’.
सनसनीखेज़ व शर्मनाक!
मोदी जी की TV 9 को खुली धमकी-
TV9 के CEO रवि प्रकाश को आज PM ने कहा-“आपने ऐसे ऐसे लोग भरे हैं जिनके blood में है मुझे गाली देना”।
TV9 के CEO रवि प्रकाश ने कहा-“बदलाव ला रहे है इसमें”।
जब PM खुले आम धमकियाँ देंगे,
तो पत्रकारीता ‘गोदी मीडिया’ बनेगी ही। pic.twitter.com/VBblebgtQw— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 31, 2019
Congress spokesperson, Priyanka Chaturvedi also tweeted on this issue. She wrote, “Wow Modi ji wow. Will the country’s news media run with your direct threats?”
Wah Modi ji Wah.
क्या अब आपकी सीधी धमकी से चलेगा देश का न्यूज़ मीडिया? pic.twitter.com/3cFQQUt1N5— Priyanka Chaturvedi (@priyankac19) March 31, 2019
The Modi government is accused of suppressing the media. Journalists such as Punya Prasun Bajpai and Abhishar Sharma have said that they were expelled from the job for speaking against the Modi government or exposing their truth. It is necessary to think and ensure that media can work independently, without any political pressure.
