Nagaland: PCI prez flags challenges to press freedom

Press Club of India (PCI) president Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty has said that press freedom in India is under serious strain, citing growing control over narratives and increasing use of legal measures that have made journalism more difficult.
During an exclusive interaction on the sidelines of a book event in Chümoukedima, Pisharoty observed that the space for independent journalism had been steadily shrinking, raising concerns about the media’s ability to function freely and fearlessly.
She said such pressures not only affected journalists but also had wider implications for democratic discourse and the public’s right to information.
Responding to a query on whether the media was functioning at its full potential, Pisharoty said it was no longer possible to clearly state that the Indian press was not under attack.
She remarked that large sections of electronic and legacy media were being driven by “certain narratives”, resulting in public relations being carried out in the name of journalism. Journalism in a democracy, she said, was meant to question the government on behalf of the people, a role she felt was increasingly being compromised.
Describing the situation as a “downward slope”, she pointed to the introduction of laws that made journalistic work more challenging. Referring to the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, Pisharoty said that while it was presented as a privacy protection measure, it had diluted the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
She recalled using RTI extensively in the past to expose corruption, including in Assam, by questioning chief ministers and senior officials, but said such accountability mechanisms were now being weakened.
According to her, the DPDP Act represented a significant challenge to press freedom, particularly at a time when digital media was playing a crucial role in upholding journalism in India. She said the introduction of the Act reflected a concerning pattern.
On the revocation of President’s Rule in Manipur and formation of a new government, Pisharoty termed it a positive development, stating that no one desired President’s Rule in a democratic setup. Drawing from her experience in Assam, she said President’s Rule was difficult and disruptive.
While welcoming the return of an elected government, she said the larger challenge lay in whether the new dispensation could restore Manipur to normalcy. She noted that communities would continue to live as neighbours and said it was better to live in amity than in constant fear. She expressed hope that the government would act swiftly to allay people’s fears, rehabilitate those displaced and help them move out of prolonged relief camp situations.
Offering advice to young journalists, Pisharoty cautioned against taking official statements at face value and stressed the need for verification and critical inquiry. She underlined the importance of field reporting, saying journalists must verify claims made in the corridors of power by observing realities on the ground. She noted that even well-funded legacy media houses were increasingly reluctant to invest in sending reporters to the field, which adversely affected journalism.