It is one of the most dangerous countries for journalists trying to do their job: the RSF
The 2021 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a French NGO, also ranked India 142th in 180 countries. This is despite the fact that for a year, under the direction of the Cabinet Secretary, the Index Monitoring Cell has worked to improve world standards, including a meeting between the French Ambassador and RSF officials to call for a change in the standards they have included.
In 2016, India’s rank was 133 which has dropped steadily to 142 by 2020. The RSF report says that India is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists trying to do their job properly. They have been exposed to all kinds of attacks, including police brutality against journalists, recruitment by political activists, and revenge by criminal gangs or corrupt local authorities.
In fear of such a test, in February last year, at the behest of Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, the Index Monitoring Cell was set up for 18 Ministers to find ways to improve position in 32 international indices. The Department of Information and Broadcasting was mandated to monitor media freedom of expression.
According to a report by the Indexing Cell, obtained by The Hindu, on April 26 last year, the additional Director-General of PIB wrote to RSF Chairman Pierre Haski asking for ways to test their performance, with a better understanding of the position. This was followed by a meeting between French Ambassador Javed Ashraf and RSF Secretary General Christophe Deloire and Asia Pacific desk Head Daniel Bastard.
The minutes of this September meeting are part of the Cell report. Mr Ashraf said the government's openness to criticism and questioning on issues such as the economy, international affairs and security such as Rafale was a sign of media freedom.
Internet blocking questions in J&K.
Representatives of the RSF have however questioned the extended Internet ban in Jammu and Kashmir from August 5, 2019 for almost a year. The envoy said the closure was for the security of the region. "Members of the media were able to access the Internet through state-owned Internet ports and there were active reports from Indian and international media on the Kashmir situation, which could have been possible only by accessing the Internet without interruption and press freedom," he said.
Minutes also noted that in the case of the violence raised by the RSF, Mr Ashraf said that “many of the incidents reported as attacks on journalists are often the result of law and order in some parts of India. This is often misrepresented as a targeted attack by journalists by the State on the western media ”.
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