On 20 March, the Delhi Police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) sealed the headquarters of United News of India (UNI) at Rafi Marg. They came with an order from the Delhi High Court. The order was the result of years of court proceedings, returning the headquarters and premises to the government. Ultimately, this is a land dispute. The news agency UNI has been in possession of land in a prominent part of the capital, now worth about Rs 409 crore, since 1979. It was handed over to them on the promise of building a large media complex there, but they failed to build it. The deadline was extended several times and opportunities were given; however, the court accepted the argument of the Land and Development Office that the agreement had not been fulfilled. The court returned the property to the government, observing that UNI had “miserably failed” to comply with the agreement for 45 years. It also ordered UNI to vacate the premises. The police claimed that they were only implementing the court order. They also videotaped the entire process of seizing the office along with the relevant officials. No excesses were reported; rather, they were enforcing the law.
This claim by the police, however, is only a half-truth. It is technically true that they were following a court order, but law enforcement also requires courtesy and respect. As if waiting for the order, within hours — even before it was uploaded on the court website — the police and paramilitary forces created an atmosphere of terror and stormed the media headquarters. Those present were forcibly evicted from their work without even being given time to collect their belongings. What was the obstacle to giving employees some time to finish their work or gather their possessions? It is alleged that some of the officers were drunk. It is also alleged that the police and the two lawyers accompanying them hurled obscenities and that police personnel assaulted female employees. The police, who claimed that everything had been recorded on video, appeared to forget that those present were also recording the events. This includes footage of journalists being harassed in the newsroom. The very haste shown by the police, acting under the Union Home Ministry, to vacate the media complex on the directions of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor sends a message. The government's Land and Development Office, which argued that the deadline for construction had been extended several times, did not consider the reasonable objections. The court, too, ignored UNI's contention regarding government-level obstacles beyond its control. The fact that the police were allowed to seize the building without even permitting time to appeal the verdict amounts to a proclamation of the government's anti-media stance. It conveys the message that freedom of the press and journalism are not their concern, and that politics and power are deemed more important than democracy.
UNI and the news agency’s owner, The Statesman, described the official action as another black day for press freedom in India. Various media houses and political parties, including the Editors Guild of India and the Indian Women’s Press Corps, have condemned the government’s anti-media approach. Even the use of official procedures to vent anger against the media reflects contempt for democracy. Press freedom has been declining under the Modi regime. According to the RSF press freedom index, India ranks 151st out of 180 countries. Press freedom is being undermined in various ways, including political interference, corporate monopolisation, financial suppression, attacks, unnecessary arrests and cases, and restrictive laws. The right to know is being curtailed by tampering with the RTI Act. In such a context, the demolition of the UNI building cannot be seen simply as a matter of law enforcement. It is also a declaration that the media will be stopped whenever and however possible. The manner in which the building was demolished, and the unnecessary haste involved, suggest a desire to deter through excessive force rather than a commitment to enforcing the law. As attempts to suppress the media continue in many incidents, big and small, and across different contexts, democrats need to recognise this trend and resist it.