These are dangerous times for Indian democracy. Hardly a week goes by without a bunch of journalists killing and massacring dozens of innocent lies, even lies that enjoyed the diplomatic cover of being government propaganda. As any public prosecutor would tell you, all government propaganda is property of the government. So any attack on government propaganda is an attack on government property. And attacking government property is a crime. Simply put, truth-tellers are damagers of government property who deserve to go to jail.
It’s therefore a relief to finally see the government cracking down on inveterate truth-traffickers. In the past few weeks alone, the authorities have raided more than 40 individuals and seized their phones and laptops. According to highly-placed sources, a quick forensic scan of the confiscated devices has yielded 10 trillion terabytes of clinching evidence confirming the worst suspicions of the authorities: every one of the raided individuals had, at some point or the other, either engaged in journalistic activity or aided and abetted journalism.
Many of the arrested individuals were complete mercenaries — willing to perpetrate acts of journalism in exchange for money, even if the amount was a pittance that barely paid the bills. Some were repeat offenders who had taken full advantage of Indian democracy to commit innumerable acts of hardcore journalism. Their journalistic excesses included things like exposing crony capitalism, finding fault with the government’s handling of Chinese incursions, amplifying farmers’ viewpoints on farm laws instead of blanking them out, covering anti-CAA protests instead of blanking those out, and abusing their Constitutionally-bestowed freedom of expression to indiscriminately fire all kinds of facts at the civilian population.
Brainwashed youth
But these mercenaries are not as bad as the other kind: the truth jihadists. These are individuals who carry out acts of journalism not for money but because they want to convert everyone to their religion of truth-worship. Some of you may have heard their religious slogan: satyameva jayate.
The sad reality is that hundreds of normal youth — who would have been perfectly content to spend their careers putting out government versions of everything from poverty levels to weather forecasts — have been brainwashed into becoming foot-soldiers of truth jihad. Over time, these unfortunate souls grow addicted to facts, so much so that, even if they want to quit, they can’t.
For instance, do you personally know anyone who really, truly, cares about corruption these days? Of course not. Everyone knows the demand for journalism exposing corruption ended in May 2014. But these people live in a time warp. Even in the absence of demand, they go around supplying the public with troubling facts and disturbing truths that cannot but spread disaffection and make ordinary civilians want to disembrace their favourite leaders.
Journalists in Chennai protest the government crackdown on NewsClick portal. | Photo Credit: B. Jothi Ramalingam
Also concerning is the existence of small but influential pockets of Indian citizenry that secretly support, if not patronise, journalism. I know it’s shocking but there are, in our midst, and maybe in your own family, journalist sympathisers. Individuals who encourage journalistic acts by buying and reading newspapers and visiting independent news sites instead of doing the nationalistic thing — getting all their news from social media and the shout-shows on television.
Misguided souls
Nonetheless, at the risk of being branded an apologist for journalism, I want to emphasise that the government should not treat journalism purely as a law and order problem. They may be outlaws but they are also misguided souls that need help. They should be put in rehab where they can receive counselling — some form of reverse brainwashing where their craving for truth and facts could be redirected towards propaganda, half-truths, or at least rubbish.
Also, prevention is better than treatment. Thanks to Aadhaar, the government today has the capability to do mass surveillance of every one of India’s 1.4 billion citizens. The government can, and should, in the national interest, invade anyone’s privacy to check if their online activity reveals surreptitious consumption or circulation of narratives not endorsed by it.
But at the same time, we can’t leave everything to the government — each one of us must do our civic duty. Therefore, stay vigilant, and always remember: nothing is more harmful to the sovereignty, unity, security and integrity of India than wilful dissemination of the truth. If you ever notice someone saying or doing something suspicious, like asking uncomfortable questions or having an independent opinion that challenges your assumptions and biases, do not hesitate. Immediately alert the authorities that you have a suspected journalist in your vicinity, possibly armed with explosive facts and truth bombs.
The author of this satire is Social Affairs Editor, ‘The Hindu’.
sampath.g@thehindu.co.in
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