Free? Or, Gagged?

Media, whatever be its strength, is always a soft target. The job of a reporter is equally difficult as that of a diplomat or a commanding officer of the Forces. Attack on journalists in a country that is supposed to promote "free press", is nothing new. Many a time my colleagues our attacked, in some cases it turned out fatal. Although i have never worked with J Dey, who took nine bullets in Mumbai's Powai on Saturday afternoon, instances are many when my friends in the media fraternity have taken the blow amid a stunned silence of governments.

Neither is India a country torn by civil war like Sri Lanka nor is its media voice gagged like that of China. Yet, it's a dangerous place if you want to go into the details of things and publish it for people to know — in short, there's hardly any place for investigative journalism in a country that is rooted deep in corruption. On one hand, people say we publish only "paid news" to suit our corporate needs and on the other, politicians and mafia would constantly put you under threat! Irony of a reporter's job is hardly anyone who is not associated with the mainstream media has any inkling of our profession. It's not glamorous as it often looks like, it's not a safe and secured profession like that of even a primary schoolteacher, it's not money-spinning like that of a doctor or an engineer, but a reporter feels proud in taking a moral stand to unravel the truth. In the process, he might end up like J Dey leaving with unanswered questions.

One of my friends in the industry wanted to move Mumbai to work on the crime beat there. I asked him the reasons, especially when his ageing parents are in Kolkata and he was with one of the most respectable English newspapers. His answer was Mallory-like: "Because criminals are there." Not that Kolkata, or any other city, does not witness murder-rape-robbery-kidnap-extortion et al, but Mumbai is the destination of all criminals, and probably the crime reporters, too. Crime reporting is always a risky job and you won't get support hardly from anyone even if your arm is broken by goons apparently owing allegiance to the ruling party in a state.

Examples are galore. In less-developed states and cities, attacks on reporters are quite frequent with the local mining mafia or gangs or even so-called rebels pull the trigger on inquisitive people who practise on the firm belief: pen is mightier than the sword. Will the government allow us taking up arms like Chhattisgarh's Salwa Judum? Our enemies are many, friends few. We don't need police protection, we don't need sympathy of people, we only need the right kind of environment to work — not to go home happy at the dead end of night only but also to protect democratic and human rights of billions.