Indian media did not have such a restrictive situation it is facing now even during the Emergency when press censorship was in force, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) Malappuram district president Syed Sadiqali Shihab Thangal has said.
He was opening a seminar organised by the Muslim Youth League (MYL) here on Sunday on ‘Curtailing of citizens’ rights against the backdrop of the ban on MediaOne news channel’.
“There was a famous cartoon by Abu on how then President Fakhruddin Ali Ahamed signed the Emergency proclamation. He is seen doing it in a bathroom. He was naked there. But such cartoons criticising then President and the Prime Minister saw the light of day during then,” Thangal said.
“B.R. Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee of the Constitution, had pointed out decades ago that even if we have a strong Constitution, if those handling it are incapable people, it would distort that document. That is what’s happening in our country now. People who are handling the Constitution are now unable to value it or preserve its dignity. Unfortunately, they have scant regard for the Constitution. That is the biggest threat we are facing now,” he said.
People who were scared of criticism know very well that what they were doing is incorrect. That is why they are coming up with steps threatening media freedom. “We have had leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru who welcomed criticism. Nehru’s remarks to cartoonist Sankar not to spare him are well known. Now, what is the condition of those who criticise the rulers through their writings or drawings? People like Gauri Lankesh, Govind Pansare, and Narendra Dhabholkar had to pay with their lives,” Thangal said.
Pramod Raman, MediaOne editor, said, “The ban on the channel is another example of the curtailing of our fundamental rights as citizens. Similar things had been happening for quite some time.”
E.T. Mohammed Basheer, MP, Syed Munawwarali Shihab Thangal, MYL leader, and P.K. Parakkadavu, writer, were present.
