When Officials Use Power to Silence Voices

Assam Bureaucrat Allegedly Assaults Journalist for Asking Questions

Newsreel Asia Insight #97
Jan. 08, 2024

In a recent event in Guwahati, Assam, a journalist named Dipankar Medhi allegedly faced harsh treatment from officials while simply performing his duties. The incident is undeniably a matter of media freedom; however, it also highlights the misuse of power – power entrusted to officials for serving the public, not for oppressing them.

Medhi was investigating delays in document processing for a loan waiver and the closure of a public toilet at the Nagaon District Commissioner’s office, according to Newslaundry, which said the Nagaon Deputy Commissioner, Narendra Kumar Shah, allegedly assaulted Medhi inside his office.

Following this confrontation, the situation escalated further. Medhi claimed that after he was forcibly removed from the office, the police detained him for about eight hours without any formal charges or FIR (First Information Report). During this detention, his camera was confiscated, and its memory card, containing potentially crucial evidence of the encounter, was erased.

If the journalist’s claim is true, the incident show abuse of power that violates the social contract. According to the social contract theory, developed by philosophers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, citizens agree to surrender some of their freedoms and submit to the authority of the state in exchange for protection of their remaining rights. Therefore, the legitimacy of government power comes from the consent of the governed, and this power is to be exercised for the collective benefit of the community. When officials misuse it to silence voices, it hurts democracy and the foundation on which ordinary people’s submission rests.

In India, press freedom is an integral part of the right to speech and expression, as per the constitutional framework significantly shaped by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Indian Constitution. Article 19(1)(a) of the charter guarantees all citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression. This provision, while not mentioning the press explicitly, has been interpreted by the judiciary to include the freedom of the press. Dr. Ambedkar’s vision was to create a democratic society where every individual has the right to express their thoughts and opinions freely, and this naturally extends to the press as a medium of collective expression.

Attacking press freedom, therefore, is tantamount to attacking the people’s right to know. The press acts as a conduit between the government and the public, playing a critical role in informing citizens about the happenings in their society and government. It serves as a watchdog, holding those in power accountable and ensuring transparency. When press freedom is curtailed, this flow of information is hindered, and the public’s ability to make informed decisions and participate meaningfully in the democratic process is diminished.

Further, detaining an individual without a clear cause or formal charge contravenes the principles of due process and the rule of law, which are fundamental to legal systems worldwide.

Erasing the contents of Medhi’s camera is particularly troubling as it potentially involves the destruction of evidence. In legal contexts, evidence is crucial for establishing the truth in any dispute or allegation. This act undermines the integrity of the legal process, which relies on the preservation and examination of evidence to reach fair and just outcomes.

This incident also shows how risky it is for journalists. They need to work without fear for democracy to be strong. When journalists are mistreated, it scares the whole profession. It leads to self-censorship and stops the public from knowing the truth.

Journalist groups in Assam responded well. They asked for an investigation and protested. This shows that the press in the state is strong. It reminds us that while power can be abused, truth and justice are hard to suppress. This is key in a democracy, where power is shared, not held by a few.

As citizens, it is our duty to safeguard the freedom of the press. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and Founding Father of the Declaration of Independence, said, “Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”