Modi regime's an undeclared Emergency: Jairam on arrest of journalist Purkayastha

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday slammed the Centre after senior journalist Prabir Purkayastha was arrested by Delhi Police's Special Cell, saying that the Modi regime had imposed an undeclared Emergency since 2014 and it has been getting worse as it fears a loss in the 2024 elections

In a post on X, Ramesh, who is Congress General Secretary in charge communication, said: "Gyan Prakash, the eminent historian at Princeton has written a deeply researched account of the 1975-77 period called Emergency Chronicles. One such hero of the resistance that Dr. Prakash describes in great detail is Prabir Purkayastha who later became an expert on energy policy.

"Today, the very same Prabir Purkayastha along with many others stands arrested by the Modi regime, which has imposed an undeclared Emergency since 2014, that has been getting worse as it fears a loss in the 2024 elections."

The Delhi Police's Special Cell on Tuesday said that it has arrested NewsClick founder Purkayastha and HR head Amit Chakravarty. Delhi Police team has also sealed the office of NewsClick in New Delhi.

Opposition parties slammed the government over the searches at the premises of NewsClick and its journalists and dubbed it as a crackdown on press freedom.

The Editors Guild of India urged the Centre to follow due process, and not make draconian criminal laws "as tools for press intimidation".

"EGI is concerned that these raids are yet another attempt to muzzle the media. While we recognise that the law must take its course if actual offences are involved, the due process has to be followed. The investigation of specific offences must not create a general atmosphere of intimidation under the shadow of draconian laws, or impinge on the freedom of expression and the raising of dissenting and critical voices," it said in a statement.