Mobilenews24x7 Bureau
If judges and journalists hesitate in their duty to take the side of truth and speak the truth to the powers that be, then democracy will collapse, cautioned eminent jurist and retired Justice B.N. Shrikrishna.
Has it already taken place that the two above pillars have been looked at being on faltering feet. When the above retired Justice has expressed an apprehension over the role, not has directly asserted, of both judges and the scribes, it cannot be well so openly enuinciated in an open platform.
‘Write what you see, and do not write what is told to you to write, else it becomes public relation’ the words had come from George Orwell, one of the father figures of journalism regardless of the fact that, he was advocating for socialistic approach in any governance. Some had dubbed him as a left liberal, just because he had the assumption that, democratic norms were being diluted by the big brothers in the guise of politicians.
Perhaps, up to this date nothing much has changed and journalism suffers from suffocation somehow. Justice Shrikrishna has some valid logics in his deliberations.
“Speak the truth to the powers that be. There are two professions – the judge and the journalist – who have to side with the truth. If they falter, then democracy will collapse,” said Justice Shrikrishna, addressing the RedInk Awards ceremony here late on Friday, organised by the Mumbai Press Club.
He said that of the four pillars of democracy — judiciary, legislature, executive and the press or Fourth Estate, “if the first three cosy up, then it’s the duty of the Press to take them to task”.
Reminiscing the days of the Emergency, he said that in the current times, the central probe agencies are being misused.
“People spoke of threats from the ED, CBI, surveillance, cutting off revenue to ensure the collapse of businessesa In such a situation, honesty is the best policy, and journalistic conscience,” Justice Shrikrishna pointed out.
This year, 26 mediapersons from all over India were conferred the National RedInk Awards in various categories, with veteran journalist T.J.S. George getting the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Dainik Bhaskar National Editor Om Gaur bagging the Journalist of the Year Award, for the sensational Covid-19 deaths exposed in Uttar Pradesh cities and towns along the Ganga river.
The event saw a debate ‘Is There A Future For Independent News Media’ with the participation of former Mumbai top-cop M.N. Singh, noted criminal lawyer Satish Maneshinde, advertising professional Meenakshi Menon and others discussing the issue threadbare, said Mumbai Press Club Chairman Gurbir Singh.
Singh said that as per the latest Freedom of Press Index released by the Reporters Without Borders, India had sunk eigth points, from 142 (2021) to 150th position this year, and the country is considered as a very dangerous place for journalists with 3-4 being killed each year.
