Human Rights Defenders Data Information Knowledge Solidarity

https://thewire.in/rights/umar-khalid-the-historian-his-continued-imprisonment-is-a-loss-to-the-academic-world

When a Muslim like Umar Khalid crosses boundaries, there is a further panic attack. A young articulate Muslim man who does not wear a skull cap, who is an atheist, who did his Ph.D. from JNU in history on Adivasis in Singbhum is seen as an anomaly in the segregated world the RSS wants to create. The attempt is then to reduce him to just one aspect of his identity – so that whatever else he does or says or writes in the end he must be seen merely as a Muslim, and by extension, violent, anti-national, and a threat to the “Indian mainstream”. So dangerous that he has been in jail for three years without bail. It is not surprising that so many of the young people who were arrested for the anti-CAA protests were Muslim students at India’s leading universities.

https://thewire.in/rights/academic-freedom-iisc-democracy-india 

In recent years, we have seen many such examples of the government intimidating the scholars working in the knowledge sector into silence. While academic freedom is being challenged, defamation lawsuits are becoming tools of harassment.

In 2022, India’s academic freedom index was in the bottom 30% among 179 countries, according to analysis by the V-Dem Institute. It flagged 22 countries, including India, China, the US and Mexico, where institutes recorded a slide in academic freedom over the past decade.

As part of the assessment, five indicators were used by the institutes. These include the freedom to research and teach, freedom to disseminate information, and the freedom of academic and cultural expression. The indicators also included encouraging a tradition of provocative thinking, controversial views, and non-conformity – which are conditions for sustaining a diverse and inclusive society.

Less discussed is how the decline in academic freedom impacts democracy itself. Democracy is not merely about protecting voting rights and conducting elections or maintaining the rule of law. While these are an important part of functioning democratic systems, the bedrock of democracy is a vibrant civic society.

In recent years, we have seen many such examples of the government intimidating the scholars working in the knowledge sector into silence. Information flow and civic discourses that encourage creativity are vital for a participatory democracy to thrive. While academic freedom is being challenged, defamation lawsuits are becoming tools of of harassment.

by C.P. Rajendran

08/07/2023

प्रेस की आज़ादी पर वेंकैया नायडू चौकाने वाला बयान !_venkaiah naidu on press freedom  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPuyh6u9nDM

Journalists should feel free to criticise politicians; else democracy will be in danger: Venkaiah  https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/journalists-should-feel-free-to-criticise-politicians-else-democracy-will-be-in-danger-venkaiah/article66744002.ece Mr. Naidu observed that the tribe of politicians agreeing with different viewpoints is decreasing, but at the same time, he also deplored the growing tendency of journalists to colour news with their views April 16, 2023