A court in Kutch, Gujarat, has issued an arrest warrant for journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta. This is regarding an article Paranjoy co-authored on the Adani group in The Wire. The Adani group initiated civil and criminal defamation against the three authors and The Wire in 2017. It is in this regard that the Adani group has pursued this matter against Paranjoy Thakurta relentlessly.
DIGIPUB News India Foundation calls upon the Adani group to desist from such intimidation of a journalist who is doing his job. The article is a piece of journalism and cases being filed against Thakurta for it undermines the right to freedom of expression that’s guaranteed to journalists – and indeed every citizen – by India’s constitution.
DIGIPUB News India Foundation strongly believes that any attempt to suppress or punish critical journalism by governments or corporations is detrimental to not only the freedom of the press but also the very idea of democratic accountability. At a time when democratic values are facing challenges the world over, the need of the hour is to strengthen, not assault press freedom that is often celebrated as the fourth pillar of democracy.
We condemn such hounding of journalism by the Adani group and ask for the withdrawal of these cases so that he can pursue his professional work as a journalist without fear.
