A safe, independent, and unbiased media is the fundamental backbone of a functional democracy. Without fearlessness in journalism, democracy itself loses its anchor, expressed Justice S. Muralidhar, former Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court and current Chair of the UN International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Addressing the audience as the Chief Speaker at the annual function of leading Odia daily Pragativadi and the 94th birth anniversary celebration of Pradyumna Bal, Justice Muralidhar delivered a poignant memorial lecture examining the contemporary status of Indian democracy on the global stage.
Growing Threats to Press Freedom
Delivering his address during the Pradyumna Bal Memorial Lecture & Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening at the Pragativadi premises, Justice Muralidhar raised serious concerns over the shrinking space for independent journalism in India. He highlighted that media freedom flourishes only when journalists can report without fear, bringing the unvarnished truth to light.
“Unfortunately, in India, media is increasingly coming under state control day by day,” Justice Muralidhar noted. Fear of losing government advertisements and threats of physical attacks have coerced a large section of the media into silence, deterring them from questioning authority.
Pointing to international benchmarks, he highlighted that India ranks 157th on the World Press Freedom Index, placing it behind nations like Pakistan and Palestine.
Corporate Control and Mislabeling Dissent
Justice Muralidhar heavily criticized the narrative built around public dissent. He observed that when citizens protest or criticize government policies, sections of the media—often referred to as ‘Godi Media’—swiftly label such actions as “anti-national conspiracies,” attempts to destabilize the nation, or foreign-funded agendas.
He further cautioned against the excessive use of public funds from the state exchequer by governments to purchase media influence through massive advertising budgets, calling it an irresistible temptation for many media houses. Meanwhile, journalists and outlets that defy this pressure to expose corruption face life-threatening attacks, sometimes losing their lives.
Additionally, with major media conglomerates coming under the ownership of corporate giants like Reliance and Adani, the press faces structural hurdles in remaining critical of state policies.
Spotlighting the CJP Movement & Gen-Z
Touching upon the recent CJP (Citizens for Justice and Peace) movement surrounding education reforms and paper leak scams, Justice Muralidhar praised the spontaneous participation of youth and Gen-Z, whose fearless agitation ultimately forced the government to act and led to the resignation of the Union Education Minister. He termed media attempts to smear such youth-driven democratic movements as foreign-funded subversion both uncalled-for and condemnable.
Paying glowing tributes to Pradyumna Bal, Justice Muralidhar remarked that the legendary editor was a fearless and unbiased journalist whose principles, ideals, and commitment to neutrality are more vital today than ever to safeguard democracy.
The memorial event brought together several prominent leaders and intellectualss, Former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang attended as the Chief Guest, while MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain joined as the Guest of Honor. Former State Information Commissioner Jagadananda delivered key remarks as the Guest Speaker.
Dr. Achyuta Samanta, Trustee of the Pradyumna Bal Memorial, delivered the welcome address. The session was presided over by Saswati Bal, Chairperson of Pragativadi, while Justice Manoranjan Mohanty, Chairman of the Pradyumna Bal Jayanti Committee, offered the concluding address.
The prestigious ‘Pradyumna Bal Memorial Award’ was conferred upon 16 Kasturba workers (Gandhi Kanyas) for their exemplary service. Additionally, the book ‘Mituaee Ra Chithi’, authored by Prof. Dr. Sanghamitra Mishra, was officially released.
Pragativadi Director, Dr. Mona Lisa Bal greeting the honored guests while the event was coordinated by Pragativadi Executive Editor Birupakshya Tripathy, with Dr. Biswajit delivering the vote of thanks.
