India's ranking in the Press Freedom Index has fallen two places to
138, a watchdog said today in an annual report, blaming "physical
violence" against journalists like Gauri Lankesh as the key reason
behind the country's low ranking.
Norway topped the list of having
the world's freest press for the second year in a row, the Reporters
Without Borders (RSF) said while North Korea remained the most
repressive country followed by Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and then
China.
India's ranking has fallen two places to 138th position in a ranking of 180 countries.
The report warned that hate crime is another issue plaguing India.
"Hate speech is also an issue in the continent's other giant, India, which has fallen another two places to 138th. Ever since Narendra Modi became the prime minister in 2014, Hindu fundamentalists have been referring to journalists in extremely violent terms," the report said.
"Any investigative reporting that annoys the ruling party or any criticism of Hindutva, elicits a torrent of online insults and calls for the death of the reporter or writer responsible, most of it coming from the prime minister's troll army," the report said.
The RSF cited the case of the killing of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh who was shot down outside her house in Bengaluru in September 2017
India's ranking has fallen two places to 138th position in a ranking of 180 countries.
The report warned that hate crime is another issue plaguing India.
"Hate speech is also an issue in the continent's other giant, India, which has fallen another two places to 138th. Ever since Narendra Modi became the prime minister in 2014, Hindu fundamentalists have been referring to journalists in extremely violent terms," the report said.
"Any investigative reporting that annoys the ruling party or any criticism of Hindutva, elicits a torrent of online insults and calls for the death of the reporter or writer responsible, most of it coming from the prime minister's troll army," the report said.
The RSF cited the case of the killing of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh who was shot down outside her house in Bengaluru in September 2017
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