In a healthy democratic country, constructive criticism is the right of every conscious and patriotic citizen. Scholars and politicians often come forward to make such criticism to any policy of the government and the government machinery defending the criticism with genuine argument.
That is what we call the freedom of speech, the rights that had been entrusted to all the citizens of the country under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution. When we talk about freedom of expression, it is also pertinent that the so-called freedom of expression is not absolute.
In clause 2 of article 19, it is also written as Nothing in sub-clause (a) of clause ( 1 ) shall affect the operation of any existing law, or prevent the State from making any law, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub-clause in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.
And thus, citizens need to understand what the law of the land had provided on what to write criticize, and argued.
What is the upset part is that with the mushrooming of social media, people started writing what they feel is right. Sometimes humiliation to individuals are viral and criticism with nonsense argument are seen going viral through social media.
What is more shocking is that some so call literate people don’t understand how the newspaper or the TV Channels are functioning.
Some rich chaps with few easily earn money open website or Facebook page and started distributing news which is not only incorrect but defames a person or the authority without knowing the fact. And the most unfortunate part is that these rich people who think that owning media will have power misused journalist aspirants. When these people get in trouble they simply lift the burden to those journalist aspirants for things that they had never committed.
One thing that should be understood by everyone is that journalism is not everybody’s cup of tea. That must be one reason for the state Assembly which is the temple of democracy denying a lady journalist from entering the Assembly during the ongoing budget session.
Being a journalist and having a press card is not a license to do anything above the law. There are laws and we (journalists) are also not above the law even as we have the right to report everything that is happening.
By dragging an aspirant journalist by an unregistered newspaper or news channel, some channel has done a great mistake. And the government should not remain silent in such a mischievous act.
