From Naseeruddin Shah to Romila Thapar, over 700 eminent citizens doefend NewsClick after NYT 'probe'

More than 700 people have come out in solidarity with the online news portal NewsClick, and claimed that in the era of corporate-owned media, the space for independent journalism that is free of corporate influence has shrunk. The individuals, who have signed this statement to raise their collective voice in solidarity with the ongoing struggle to "safeguard the Constitutional right to freedom of speech", include senior journalists, leaders of various people's movements, judges, lawyers, academics, scientists, writers, artists, filmmakers, actors, and other concerned citizens.

Among the notable signatories are Zoya Hasan, Jean Dreze, Ratna Pathak Shah, Naseeruddin Shah, John Dayal, N Ram, Prem Shankar Jha, Siddharth Varadarajan, and MK Venu (Founding Editors, The Wire), Sudheendra Kulkarni, P Sainath, Bezwada Wilson (National Convenor, Safai Karmachari Andolan), Aruna Roy (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan), Sanjay Hegde, Justice K Chandru, Prabhat Patnaik, Utsa Patnaik, Colin Gonsalves, Prashant Bhushan, Vaishna Roy (Editor, Frontline), Harsh Mander, Syeda Hameed, K. Satchidanandan, Jerry Pinto, Damodar Mauzo, Romila Thapar, Sumit Sarkar, KM Shrimali, Tanika Sarkar, Jayati Ghosh, CP Chandrashekhar, Anand Patwardhan, and numerous other eminent personalities.

In strong objection to the allegations made against NewsClick and its founder and editor-in-chief, Prabir Purkayastha, the open letter underscored that the report from The New York Times does not assert any legal violations by the online platform.

The open letter noted how since its inception, NewsClick had consistently delivered critical coverage of government policies and actions, shedding light on their adverse repercussions on the lives of countless citizens, particularly the most marginalized and exploited segments such as workers and peasants. They claimed that NewsClick has lent voice to their pain and distress, as well as spotlight the vital role of diverse people's movements striving for social justice. 

They went on to emphasize that the relentless targeting of NewsClick amounts to an assault on the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution. Terming it as an assault on the principled role of independent journalism in a democratic society and on the public's right to access information that empowers them to combat injustice, the eminent citizens lamented that in the era of media owned by corporations, the space for impartial journalism devoid of corporate influence has contracted. 

The case against NewsClick

On August 5th, The New York Times published an extensive piece, allegedly uncovering the connections between an American entrepreneur and the Chinese government, along with his financial backing of an Indian leftist propagandist platform named NewsClick.

As per the report by the US-based newspaper, a millionaire named Neville Roy Singham has been providing financial support to multiple news outlets worldwide, including those in India, to promote Chinese propaganda. Concealed within a web of non-profit organizations and shell corporations lies Singham's close collaboration with the Chinese government's media apparatus, facilitating the global spread of its propaganda through his funding, the article claimed.

The New York Times highlighted that Singham has effectively disseminated Chinese government-approved messaging, camouflaging it as 'progressive advocacy' across countries such as India, Brazil, South Africa, and the United States.