Letters to the Editor: BJP’s bullying of scribes

BJP’s bullying of scribes

The targeting of journalists perceived as ‘dissenters’ by the current regime demonstrates its growing autocratic character. A week after journalist Rana Ayyub was stopped from flying to London, head of Amnesty International India and journalist Aakar Patel was halted from leaving the country at Bengaluru airport, with the authorities citing a lookout circular issued against him by CBI. This is despite the fact that Patel obtained his passport after a Surat court allowed him to travel to the US. On April 3, five journalists were allegedly attacked in Delhi by a Hindutva mob for covering a ‘Hindu Mahapanchayat event’. The journalists accused the police of not helping them. In J&K, journalist Fahad Shah was arrested for the third time in a month in March 2022 by Srinagar Police, just hours after securing bail from a Shopian court and days after securing bail from a special court. Unfortunately, this trend seems set to escalate in the near future, with RSS-BJP evidently determined to stamp out independent voices questioning it in any way. Journalists and like-minded forces must join hands and stand up to this bullying.

Maryam Ahmed, Srinagar

Hatred for urdu or muslims?

The controversy raked up by far-right TV channel Sudarshan News by alleging a “conspiracy” behind snack manufacturer Haldiram writing the ingredients of one of its products also consumed by people fasting during Navratri) in “Urdu” is yet another sign of how the Islamophobia campaign in the country is fast gaining momentum after BJP did well in recent Assembly polls. The reality is that what they called Urdu was actually Arabic and product was meant to be imported by Dubai. Other Indian products that are sold in Dubai’s online stores also have labels printed in Arabic. Lately, other Indian companies have had to face the brunt of such social media vigilantes. Recently, Himalaya Wellness Company was targeted after a screenshot of a notice showing its halal policy went viral. It is important to note that several major FMCG companies also get the halal certification for exporting their products to the Middle East.

Ram Udham, Bangalore

AAP’s ludicrous claim

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s claim that Punjab has been set ‘corruption free’ within 10 days of his party forming the government there would have been amusing were it not for how seriously the absence of probity in public life affects our country’s progress. It is a well-known fact that corruption among government officials is so well entrenched and so institutionalized that the mere launch of a helpline for the public to report instances of bribery as was done in Punjab by CM Bhagwant Mann amounts to the proverbial drop in the ocean. The reporting of some instances of graft at lower levels of governance cannot unveil the big fish operating in the system.

Sonal Anand, Delhi

(This was first published in National Herald on Sunday)