On November 26, 1947, Mahatma Gandhi warned that a ruling party using media for propaganda could lead to dictatorship.
In an op-ed written by S.N. Sahu in The Wire, the author warned of the dangerous trajectory Modi’s India is headed towards.
He spoke about the Congress party using radio to promote itself. Gandhi feared this would harm democracy.
From 1975 to 1977, Indira Gandhi imposed an Emergency. Her government controlled media for propaganda. Newspapers faced censorship. Many complied fully, as L.K. Advani noted.
Since 2014, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, media control has grown. No Emergency was declared, but media is used for propaganda. Many TV channels, print, and social media outlets promote Modi and the BJP. They spread hate-filled news and false stories.
Gandhi’s warning about dictatorship seems true today. Media promotes Modi’s image and BJP’s agenda. This divides society along religious lines. During the Emergency, media did not target communities this way. Indira Gandhi added “secular” and “socialist” to the Constitution’s Preamble.
After the Emergency ended in 1977, media restrictions were lifted. Elections were held. Indira Gandhi lost to the Janata Party. The Janata Party later collapsed. Congress won again in 1980.
Under Modi, media faces control without an Emergency. Many outlets act as BJP mouthpieces. India ranks 151st out of 180 in press freedom. Journalists face arrests under strict laws. News platforms like NewsClick face raids.
Recently, Modi’s government blocked YouTube news channels and The Wire’s website. The Wire had to remove a news item to regain access. Journalist Siddique Kappan was arrested for reporting a crime in Uttar Pradesh. Internet shutdowns and press club closures in Jammu and Kashmir show control.
In 1926, Gandhi called some journalists a “walking plague” for spreading hate. Today, media spreads false news, leading to violence. The Supreme Court noted TV channels air hate for ratings. No major action is taken.
In 1977, voters rejected Indira Gandhi. Today, voters face a similar challenge with Modi’s media control.
