Gagging media: Scribes body alarmed by rising threats

New Delhi: Reporters Sans Borders (RSF), an international non-governmental organisation that defends freedom of the press, has said it is appalled by a campaign of death threats against well-known TV journalist Ravish Kumar by trolls linked to the Sangh parivar outfits which have escalated dramatically since April. “It would seem from Ravish Kumar’s revelations last week that fear is now an integral part of the life of outspoken journalists in India,” it said.  

Mr Kumar, an anchor with NDTV, said on May 24 that the threats he has been getting on his phone since 2015 have increased sharply in number and virulence since April-end.  According to reports, the latest threats included a video message from a retired military person who said he would shoot Mr Kumar in his office. Another message, purportedly from a Bajrang Dal activist,  included details of his home address and the route he takes to go to work, and threatened to rape the women in his family as well as kill him. His complaints with the police  has evoked no action.