Noted journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani has said that the public has been denied free flow of information to assess the work of the Union government and to make informed choices. "As India heads towards another general election, democratic accountability is not possible without a free press,” she said while delivering the second MR Narayana Kurup Memorial Annual Lecture on ‘Media Monopolies, Communalism and the Future of Democracy’ at the Government College Madappally, Vadakara, on Thursday.
Sherwani, a Senior Editor with The Wire, said the Modi era saw the near demise of legacy media. ”Many media houses have become part of the majoritarian agenda. Some of them play it safe by not questioning the regime and its policies. The crisis of democracy began with a crisis of journalism in India. Truth was its biggest casualty in this era. The daily prime-time television debates push majoritarian propaganda and create a constant anxiety and insecurity amongst the young generation of Hindus. They are forced to live with a feeling that their culture and religion are being demeaned and stolen by ‘outsiders’,” she said.
Sherwani said India has been witnessing systematic dismantling of secularism, liberalism and the robust constitutional order. “We need a strong opposition to counter such efforts,” she said.
Dr Preetha B, College Principal, Government College, Madappally, presided over the function. Dr A M Shinas moderated the question and answer session.