'Modi's troll army' brings down India's rank in World Press Freedom Index


New Delhi, Apr 25 (IANS): India dropped down to 138th rank, two points below the previous year, in the 2018 World Press Freedom Index released by global watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on Wednesday.

The report blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "troll army" for sharing and amplifying hate speeches targeting journalists on social networks.

"In India (down from 136 ranking in 2017), hate speech targeting journalists is shared and amplified on social networks, often by troll armies in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pay," it stated.

"With Hindu nationalists trying to purge all manifestations of 'anti-national' thought from the national debate, self-censorship is growing in the mainstream media and journalists are increasingly the targets of online smear campaigns by the most radical nationalists, who vilify them and even threaten physical reprisals," the report said.

It mentioned that at least three of the journalists, including Gauri Lankesh murdered in 2017, were targeted in connection with their work.

"Prosecutions are also used to gag journalists who are overly critical of the government, with some prosecutors invoking Section 124a of the penal code, under which 'sedition' is punishable by life imprisonment," it stated.

The report said that although "no journalist has so far been convicted of sedition, but the threat encourages self-censorship".

It also said "Kashmiri journalists were often the targets of violence by soldiers acting with the central government's tacit consent".

The Reporters Without Borders warned that "hostility towards the media, openly encouraged by political leaders, and the efforts of authoritarian regimes to export their vision of journalism posed a threat to democracies".

Coming to international stage, the report accused US President Donald Trump, Russia and China of perpetrating anti-media rhetoric and actively seeking to curb press freedom.

It said that Trump's presidency fostered further decline in journalists' right to report. "It appears the Trump effect has only amplified the disappointing press freedom climate that predated his presidency".

The report voiced concern about the "censorship and surveillance" of journalists in China, as well as President Xi Jinping's efforts to export its "media control model" to strangle dissent across Asia.

"Xi Jinping's China is getting closer and closer to a contemporary version of totalitarianism," the report read.

Out of the top five countries where the press freedom situation deteriorated the most, four of them are in Europe. Malta, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Serbia all fell substantially in their ranking.

"With the rise of populist politics and 'strongman' leaders, Europe's downward trend will likely continue, the RSF said. The situation in Poland and Hungary was also particularly concerning, the watchdog said.

Norway held its place at the top of the World Press Freedom Index for the second year in a row, while North Korea remained in last place out of the 180 countries ranked.

  

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Comment on this article

  • SMR, karkala

    Thu, Apr 26 2018

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a man of social media. Over the last four years, if he has managed to convey a message, it is that he distrusts the majority of the press. He carefully picks who he wants to be interviewed by. For everything else, the PM relies on his massive social media presence 43 million on Facebook and 41 million on Twitter to do his bidding. But is his social media status, at least in real numbers, all that it’s hyped to be? Perhaps not.

    Twiplomacy, a “study of the use of Twitter by world leaders”, conducted by public relations and communications firm Burson-Marsteller, recently found that of the 41 million followers PM Modi can boast of, more than 60 per cent are fake. Basically, 2,41,80,000 of Modi's 4,03,00,000 Twitter followers are fake.

    A quick Twitter audit reveals that not only is the Twiplomacy figure on point, Narendra Modi’s official handle PMO India too has a staggering number of fake followers. Of the total 25 million followers the account has, more than 60 % that is almost 15 million are bots.

    Who the PM himself follows on Twitter has been a matter of contention in the past. One has only to look back to last September to remember how the PM was lambasted by many on social media for following toxic cyber-bullies and trolls who celebrated the assassination of journalist Gauri Lankesh.

    In a startling revelation, a former BJP IT cell member has claimed that the whole BJP IT cell operates from the BJP head office 24 Ashoka Road, where around 300 people work, who perpetuate the propaganda and add fake content through the fake accounts, which later gets shared through the Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. Wherein they create famous fan pages on social media with trending names like ‘I support Indian Army’. A similar account named ‘I support Narendra Modi’ has around 15 million fan following and there are around 20,000 pages and over 300 fake news portal operated by the BJP IT cell workers.
    Reality of Modi's 'Digital India'.
    JaiHind

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • ca girishkk, m'lore/dxb

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Pakoda specicalists...

    DisAgree Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Embarrassing ...

    DisAgree [1] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • AMAR NATHAL, MANGALORE

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Just two points not a big deal. There are many below us. Acche din aane wale hai. Deposits in creased in crores, drop in 2 points not bad. If we sell more pakoda they can rise, may be.

    DisAgree Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Gabriel, Sagar

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Lies has many tomorrrows but the Truth has none. It is the mutiny of free speech that fragments the vibrant multi cultural and multi religious democracy. Loka samgraha and sarvodaya goes for a holiday.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • Declan, Mumbai

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Troll army recruitment for 2019 already started in full swing ? Current rate is Rs. 15/- per hate msg. tweet or fb hate msg. post ???

    DisAgree [1] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • anthony, Mangalore

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Modi's Troll Army has brought our country to disrepute in the comity of nations. The fact that Modi himself has felicitated these trolls is shamefull. These are not hall marks of a Statesman but of a petty poliitician. we have to be an example as the worlds largest democracy instead we are coming under severe critisism for gagging the press and spreadng falsehoods by Modi's Trolls.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • geoffrey, hat hill

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    At this rate, if the present regime continues we'll beat N Korea soon and that'll be our 2nd #1 rank in the world, beef export being first. Bhakthon..thaaliyan.

    DisAgree Agree [9] Reply Report Abuse

  • JK, Udupi

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Who is number one in the rank list, Pakistan?.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Dinesh, Dubai

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    noo need to give attention..

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    It's end of BJP not only in India but worldwide. Modi will be denied visa from all countries for being a anti humanity dictator, radical nationalist and communalism. It's just a matter of time for BJP being a bad dream.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Modi is a Disaster ...

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Devkumar, Mangalore/New Delhi

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    next year it will ride four more points..when snatch 2019 elections.

    DisAgree [39] Agree [21] Reply Report Abuse

  • Amith, USA

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Caveman, correctly predicted!!!! Truly, Feku can snatch but can't WIN!!!!

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ivar, Mangalore

    Wed, Apr 25 2018

    Exactly.
    See now how the sickulars start applauding for this news!!

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse


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