What's new

What can and cannot be said in the world's largest democracy

SBD-3

ELITE MEMBER
Sep 19, 2008
15,121
-9
7,928
Country
Pakistan
Location
Pakistan
Censors’ sensibilities

Dec 7th 2010, 15:47 by The Economist online | DELHI
INDIAN leaders and visiting dignitaries like to wax lyrical about the world’s greatest democracy, with its billion-plus people relishing a tradition of vibrant debate. The fourth estate in the country appears to be pretty robust, too. Cable news shows reach a high proportion of the population, weekly current-affairs magazines and daily papers offer lively discussion and opinion in English, Hindi, Bengali and many other languages. Indians are also fast taking to the internet as a forum for debate. At first glance, then, Indians enjoy the freedom to speak and criticize no less than Americans, Europeans or others lucky enough to live in democracies.

Look closer and the picture is rather different. The country is enthralled at the moment by a series of corruption scandals, mostly involving members of the ruling Congress party. Now attention has turned to some journalists-cum-lobbyists whose close ties to powerful business and political types go beyond acceptable limits. Indian journalists, say local critics, are too often docile, unwilling to challenge those in authority, or, worst of all, easily bought off with gifts and made to publish (or withhold) stories in the interests of the powerful.

None of this stops Indians with controversial views speaking out, of course. But there are limits on what can be said. This month courts are pondering the prosecution of Indian novelist and activist Arundhati Roy for sedition, for daring to question the place of Kashmir within India. The same colonial-era law is occasionally trotted out to threaten separatists and others who speak out.

At least outsiders have been free to say and write what they like in India. Yet censors are getting increasingly grumpy about what they draw. When foreign publications print maps of India that show the reality in Kashmir—territory divided between areas controlled by Pakistan and by India—censors at customs houses, citing a law from 1961, stamp them as "not recognised" by India. For The Economist, for example, that delays delivery of the magazine by a few days, affecting some tens of thousands of Indian readers.

Now, for some reason, India’s censors are getting angrier yet. Rather than just wield a stamp, the customs men recently stopped the import and distribution of a consignment of copies of the Financial Times newspaper. They were offended by a map of Asia that included Kashmir. This week copies of The Economist were also seized, preventing subscribers in some cities from being offended by the sight of a map of Asia that showed India’s borders.

It is far from clear what India’s zealous customs men are hoping to achieve. In neighbouring Sri Lanka, copies of The Economist are often seized by customs for a few days if officials take against articles that are critical of the government. The result, however, is usually only to bring more attention to the criticism (with readers switching to read articles online) and to spread fears that an intolerant government is continuing to crack down on critics. The self-defeating efforts by Sri Lanka’s customs men hardly offer a model for democratic India.
Censorship in India: Censors? sensibilities | The Economist
 
I find this rather pathetic, If its about maps,just follow the international system showing the disputed area in a different color.

territory divided between areas controlled by Pakistan and by India—censors at customs houses, citing a law from 1961, stamp them as "not recognised" by India

No one is above law. That includes media too. If they are aware of the law 1961, they should have published the map accordingly.

For The Economist, for example, that delays delivery of the magazine by a few days, affecting some tens of thousands of Indian readers.

This week copies of The Economist were also seized, preventing subscribers in some cities from being offended by the sight of a map of Asia that showed India’s borders.

This is bound to happen if you break law. I believe the Govt of India did the right thing.
 
No one is above law. That includes media too. If they are aware of the law 1961, they should have published the map accordingly.
This is bound to happen if you break law. I believe the Govt of India did the right thing.
Doesnt that make india as china in censorship which many champions of indian democracy always try to point out right from PM onwards that we are free democracy but we censor like china.Its clearly being like a hippocratic.
 
Economists example is just a case in point havent we seen the total silence of the media on Barkhagate scandal until netizens took up the cause that it became too hot for MSM to handle hence break the silence.How about the creation of india today group to praise indira gandhi's polices during emergency.
 
Doesnt that make india as china in censorship which many champions of indian democracy always try to point out right from PM onwards that we are free democracy but we censor like china.Its clearly being like a hippocratic.

that why we are called socialist democracy, It not censorship
 
Doesnt that make india as china in censorship which many champions of indian democracy always try to point out right from PM onwards that we are free democracy but we censor like china.Its clearly being like a hippocratic.

What is wrong in pointing out that the map is not recognised by India? The Indian govt. is providing FREE additional information to all the readers of the Economist. :D

And there is clearly a difference between censoring a few items for national benefit and censoring entire media coverage for political mileage. To me it looks like, according to you, child pornography should also be allowed under freedom of expression.
 
Economists example is just a case in point havent we seen the total silence of the media on Barkhagate scandal until netizens took up the cause that it became too hot for MSM to handle hence break the silence.How about the creation of india today group to praise indira gandhi's polices during emergency.

Hate for the sake of hate.

Barkhagate had nothing to do with government censorship. It was media collusion at its best to save one of their own.

Oh, and if you didn't notice, its been 30 years since the emergency and India has changed a LOT.
 
that why we are called socialist democracy, It not censorship
Well if look past 63 yrs of indian freedom history u'll always see the media censorship by govt.Akash vani and doordarshan used to present censored news untill pronoy roy tried to break that censorship with his the world this week program.for which he was reprimanded.less one speak about the print media the better.
 
What is wrong in pointing out that the map is not recognised by India? The Indian govt. is providing FREE additional information to all the readers of the Economist. :D

And there is clearly a difference between censoring a few items for national benefit and censoring entire media coverage for political mileage. To me it looks like, according to you, child pornography should also be allowed under freedom of expression.
BTW maps of kashmir printed in india show whole J&K as part of india including P-O-K and askai chin in school geography books which is away from ground reality and with real situation on ground with the different areas.Hence it is also propaganda of GOI if you classify economists map as propaganda maps.
 
Hate for the sake of hate.

Barkhagate had nothing to do with government censorship. It was media collusion at its best to save one of their own.

Oh, and if you didn't notice, its been 30 years since the emergency and India has changed a LOT.
Barkhagate is true example of how Govt +media+businesses collude to make general population fool.Barkhagate is just one example of another form of censoring of interested group and its just a drop in bigger ocean of censorship and and scams like 2G
 
BTW maps of kashmir printed in india show whole J&K as part of india including P-O-K and askai chin in school geography books which is away from ground reality and with real situation on ground with the different areas.Hence it is also propaganda of GOI if you classify economists map as propaganda maps.

I'm not classifying the Economist's flags as propaganda. It's you who is vilifying the GOI.

If maps of Kashmir printed in India show whole J&K as part of India, including ***, then maps of Pakistan also show whole of J&K as Pakistani territory. You know why? Because that is the official government position. Both governments claim the entire area, whatever be the situation on ground.

Please stop with your anti-India bias.
 
Barkhagate is true example of how Govt +media+businesses collude to make general population fool.

True. That is why you should look at all news with a pinch of salt. Look, we shouldn't depend on the TV for giving us proper analysis. We should collect information from all possible sources, TV, internet, international organisations etc. before forming our own analysis. If you depend on someone else to decide for you, then you don't deserve to be in a democracy.

Barkhagate is just one example of another form of censoring of interested group and its just a drop in bigger ocean of censorship and and scams like 2G

The fact that Barkhagate is in front of you testifies that no matter how hard they try, censorship does not exist in India.

Also, Please learn the meaning of the word censorship. And learn to differentiate it with the Scams. Thank you.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)


Back
Top Bottom