After RSF report on press freedom crisis in India, Farooq Abdullah breaks silence
#IndiaPressFreedomCrisis
Srinagar: In the wake of the fresh report of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) highlighting the deepening press freedom crisis in India, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has also broken silence acknowledging the challenges faced by journalists in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Kashmir Media Service, India has been ranked 151st out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index.
Farooq Abdullah in a statement issued in Srinagar in connection with International Press Freedom Day praised the dedication of Kashmiri journalists in upholding the values of their profession despite obstacles.
He paid tributes to journalists who have lost their lives while fulfilling their duties. Farooq saluted the courage of the journalistic community and urged them to continue their fight for the rights of the people.
Abdullah emphasized the importance of free press, a primary requisite for democracy to thrive. He highlighted the crucial role of a free press in a functioning democracy. He stated, “A free press is essential for keeping citizens informed and holding those in power accountable.” He stressed that no society can truly experience the benefits of democracy without ensuring freedom and dignity for the press.
Farooq Abdullah’s statement came in the backdrop of RSF report, which listed India among countries where “concentration of media ownership in the hands of political magnates threatens media plurality.
RSF said, India’s media has fallen into an “unofficial state of emergency” since PM Modi came to power in 2014. It added that industrialist Mukesh Ambani, a close friend of Modi, owns more than 70 media outlets that are followed by at least 800 million Indians.
“Recent years have seen the rise of ‘Godi media’ – media outlets that mix populism and pro-BJP propaganda”, RSF said and added that Indian journalists critical of the Modi government were subjected to harassment campaigns by BJP-backed trolls.
