One ‘survey’ which raises a lot of eyebrows

On Tuesday, the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre focused its sights on a 101-yearold media giant which had its origins in the studio of the famed Marconi in London in 1922. This is no ordinary organization, it is the legendary British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) which we all have at some point of time or the other, relied upon as an authentic source of information.

Wars, natural calamities, historical events, controversies and political happenings-the BBC was sure to have its own take on each of them which would be incisive, factual and thought-provoking which was why most people would first switch to the radio channel in yesteryears for their share of reliable information; and now of course to the TV channel.

So did the channel go wrong in telecasting a controversial documentary on the role of PM Modi, who was then chief minister of Gujarat, in the Godhra violence of 2002? The film has been blocked from viewing which has drawn severe criticism from various quarters who described it as an assault on media freedom. The freedom of the press is one of the prime cornerstones of any democracy; the media, both print and TV, play a pivotal role in the developmental process bringing to light vital issues which demand the attention of the government.

When human rights are violated, when natural calamities strike in far corners of the country leaving thousands in hapless conditions and when ambitious leaders driven by the lust for power, cross their brief trampling on the rights of the downtrodden, it’s only the media - those brave men and women with their cameras and their writing pads-who painstakingly highlight the pain and suffering of those in distress to draw the attention of the authorities to the need to rush assistance to them.

There are clear provisions in the Constitution under Article 19(1)(a) which encourage independent and free journalism to motivate people to express their opinions fearlessly. Denying this freedom to the fourth pillar of democracy would do no good to the great dream of our founding fathers who envisaged a nation where people had both political freedom and the freedom of thought, expression and faith.

Such freedoms matter all the more in a developing nation on the threshold of a great revival where every initiative thought of, should be discussed and debated threadbare so that we do not go astray in our nation-building efforts. Opinions and counter-opinions are but natural in a country of more than a billion people for any policy decision is sure to impact them in every manner possible. What is worrisome is that the’ so called’survey’ at the BBC offices in Delhi and Mumbai (which are continuing) have come just weeks after the Modi documentary hit the screens igniting a heated row.

While the Income Tax department is no doubt free to conduct its investigation into the alleged tax evasion by the media major, what has left many perplexed is the timing of the survey, barely weeks after the docu row broke out. A free and fair democracy is one where every potent issue is debated and the right conclusions drawn. Whether that will happen in a country where the threat of a clampdown always hangs over those who dare to question the powers that be, is something for every freedom loving citizen to ponder over in all seriousness.