New Delhi Police Raid Homes of Journalists Working for Left-Wing News Outlet
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi speaks at a no-confidence motion in 2023 | Source: Wikimedia Commons
New Delhi police carried out raids on the homes of journalists working for NewsClick, a left-wing news outlet known for its criticisms of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused of promoting Chinese propaganda, on October 3, 2023. Several were arrested and detained under Indian antiterrorism law, including NewsClick founder and Editor-in-Chief Prabir Purkayastha and Human Resources Director Amit Chakravarty.
Nearly 50 contributors at over 50 locations across India linked to the company were subjected to day-long searches, where their devices, among other property, were seized. “Delhi police landed at my home, taking away my laptop and phone,” video journalist Abhisar Sharma posted at 8:05 a.m. to X (formerly Twitter) just prior to his detainment. As of October 7, NewsClick’s New Delhi office remains shut down.
The police crackdown took place in response to a first information report (FIR) that Indian authorities filed against NewsClick on August 17, 2023. Several provisions of the 1967 Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), an antiterrorism law intended to address activities that threaten to “disrupt the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India,” were invoked, including Provision 17—punishment for raising funds for terrorist acts—and Provision 18—punishment for conspiracy. The FIR came just weeks after the New York Times revealed that NewsClick had received funding from American millionaire Neville Roy Singham.
Singham has allegedly poured over 275 million USD into U.S. nonprofits that have in turn used this endowment to finance international charities and shell companies. By mixing “progressive advocacy with Chinese talking points,” the New York Times claimed, these groups have broadened the outreach of Chinese state media. It is unclear whether the nonprofits that acquired the mogul’s donations comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) of 1938, which requires public disclosure of “propaganda activities and other activities for or on behalf of foreign governments.”
According to a covert 45-day operation that New Delhi police conducted prior to the raids, NewsClick’s corporate filings and bank transactions indicated the presence of funding from Singham. Unsurprisingly, NewsClick has produced content in support of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) viewpoints, with a 2019 video claiming that “China’s history continues to inspire the working classes.”
In late August 2023, just over a month before the recent arrests, Anurag Thakur, India’s junior minister for information and broadcasting, denounced NewsClick’s “anti-India” agenda. Anti-Chinese sentiment under Modi has increased significantly as a result of prolonged border conflicts in the Himalayan region. Indian authorities previously searched the BBC's Mumbai and New Delhi offices for evidence of tax evasion in February 2023, shortly after the network aired India: The Modi Question, a two-part series criticizing Modi’s role in India’s 2002 anti-Muslim riots.
Protests broke out in New Delhi on October 4 against the NewsClick raids. Journalist Manini Chatterjee, who rallied alongside other protesters, believed that the raids reflected a larger plot to control Indian citizens. “Anybody who speaks against the regime is deemed to be anti-national. This has been a long-term strategy, and these events are the latest in this,” Chatterjee stated.
In its 2023 press freedom rankings, Reporters Without Borders, a nonprofit that advocates for global freedom of the press, placed India 161 out of 180 countries, 11 ranks lower than the previous year. Beh Lih Yi, the Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists, echoed this sentiment, stating, “This is the latest attack on press freedom in India. We urge the Indian government to immediately cease these actions, as journalists must be allowed to work without fear of intimidation or reprisal.” As Modi seeks to promote India’s national sovereignty, he faces a momentous choice between executing his government agenda and protecting the freedom of journalists across India.