Renowned cartoonist of India, RK Laxman once drew a cartoon of a man (presumably a journalist) being picked up from the street by the police while others including his character, the Common Man, looked on, with the caption: "Indeed, you didn't spread rumours. The charge against you is spreading facts"! One cannot be wrong if anyone feels that the cartoon published on 26th December 1962 may have been drawn with India 62 years later in mind. Let us take a look at the way the government is hounding one of the fact-checkers and co-founder of Alt News, Mohammad Zubair. Zubair has been awarded the Index on Censorship's Freedom of Expression Award in London for his courage to speak out against the hateful rumours, falsehoods and half-truths, that can set even the Indian Ocean on fire, floating around in the form of news, WhatsApp knowledge and great speeches of leaders including Union Ministers, thereby protecting the country from spite and riots. He has also received the 'Kottai Ameer Community Harmony Award' from the Government of Tamil Nadu. Considering the services he is rendering to society, even being honoured with the country's highest civilian honours will not be enough; sadly, he is now charged with ‘endangering India’s sovereignty, unity and integrity’ under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) of 2023 - a charge that carries a life sentence.
The astonishing foresight in RK Laxman's cartoon becomes clear when we hear the case details: He drew the attention of the social media and police authorities to some (hateful) speeches being circulated online by Yati Narsinghanand of Ghaziabad, one of the country's notorious hate-mongers. These speeches insulted the Prophet Muhammad, threatened Muslims and insulted women politicians. It should be noted that Zubair tweeted on September 29, tagging the UP Police, Ghaziabad Police and Ghaziabad DCP with the caption "He continues to spew hate as police does not take any action." On October 3, the UP Police registered an FIR against Yati Narsinghanand and submitted a charge sheet with accusation of deliberately hurting religious sentiments. When Narsinghanand was out on bail in a previous hate speech case on the condition that he should not make remarks that would disturb communal harmony, the police should have been prepared to cancel the bail or follow the Supreme Court's directive to take action against hate speech regardless of religion. However, the zeal shown by Uttar Pradesh Police was to silence Zubair who pointed out the offence.
The Allahabad High Court was notified on November 26 that the police had filed a case against Zubair under both the bailable and non-bailable sections of the BNS (later Section 152 was added as well). This was in response to a complaint made by one of his supporters who claimed that by posting Narsinghanand's speech on social media, Zubair was inciting Muslims to attack the temple. It was not any station clerk - 'writer' - who inserted this section on their own. All this is according to the clear interests and instructions of the government. The purpose of this action is not confined to merely implicating Muhammad Zubair. There are many objectives behind it, such as ensuring an unhindered flow of hate speech, fake news, narratives and interpretations, and teaching a lesson so that no one dares to come forward to question it again. The government harbours a delusion that it can so suffocate the free press and the right to know. Zubair is a threat, not to secular, democratic India, but to those who have the machinations to build an authoritarian state with lies and the blood of innocents, through communal exploitation. Such is the extent to which this individual is seriously undermining their propaganda and schemes. For this very reason, standing unconditionally with Zubair is the primary duty of everyone who wants India to remain India.