World’s largest democracy India is ranked 160th in the World Press Freedom Index report released on Wednesday, thus slipping 11 spots further down the list from last year. In 2022, India was ranked 150th.
Neighbouring countries with war conflict and economic insurgency including Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka have surpassed India ranking 152, 150 and 135 respectively. China is penultimate on the list.
The report was released by Reporters Without Borders, an international NGO that promotes media freedom. It listed 180 countries with Norway heading the list for the second time, as China was penultimate before North Korea.
According to the report which is named 2023 World Press Freedom Index – journalism threatened by fake content industry, press freedom is “very serious” in 31 countries, “difficult” in 42, “problematic” in 55, and “good” or “satisfactory” in 52 countries.
“In other words, the environment for journalism is “bad” in seven out of ten countries, and satisfactory in only three out of ten,” the report stated.
Rana Ayyub, an Indian journalist writing for US media, has called for shifting global attention to media freedom in India as she spoke at a UNESCO-sponsored event at the world body.
“It is important for the world to shift its attention to India because we do not really talk about India as much and I really hope you do that in the days to come,” she said on Tuesday questioning New Delhi’s democratic credentials and its press freedom at the conference held on the eve of the World Press Freedom Day in the General Assembly chamber.
Ayyub, who works for The Washington Post, said while seated at the General Assembly dais, “I have normally seen world leaders talk about democratic values right here at this podium (and) some of us journalists watching it on TV look at them and like, ‘Hey, you are anything but democratic.”
While detailing what she said were attacks on press freedom, she said, “I come from India, the land of democracy, which prides itself on, democratic values. I love my country more than I love any other entity in the world, which is why it is more important for me.”
Twitter reactions
Alt News co-founder and fact-checker Mohammed Zubair tweeted, “Happy World Press Freedom Day! India’s ranking in #WorldPressFreedomIndex has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries.”
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee tweeted India’s ranking in the last eight years.
The executive editor of Newslaundry Manisha Pande said that the safety of journalism in India is the lowest.
Taking a dig at mainstream media news channel anchors, PuNsTeR congratulated them for their ‘hard work’.
Intellectual Ashok Swain said that India’s position is worse than Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. “In World Press Freedom Index, India has dropped 11 places, from 150 in 2022 to 161 in 2023. Press Freedom Index is better in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan (151) & Army-controlled Pakistan (150) than in Modi’s so-called Mother of Democracy, India,” he tweeted.
