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Dear Reader,
The Uttar Pradesh police have filed an FIR against five individuals, including two journalists, Zakir Ali Tyagi and Wasim Akram Tyagi, for "inciting communal hatred" through the posting of news of an alleged lynching attack in Shamli district. While there was yet no action against the perpetrators of the lynching, the five have been charged under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), one of three new criminal laws that came into effect on July 1, alongside the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam.
The new criminal laws have raised concerns about its potential misuse against digital rights and freedom of speech. MediaNama points out that the BNS extends the provisions of the former Indian Penal Code to "electronic means," expanding the criminalisation of online speech, including satire, commentary, and dissent against state actions. This act explicitly increases the potential for state control over digital discourse, leading to greater censorship of dissenting opinions and reports on sensitive issues.
The Press Club of India, the Indian Women's Press Corp, and DIGIPUB -- a coalition of over 90 independent media organisations and journalists -- have condemned the FIR registered against the five individuals, pointing out that the intimidation of journalists who publish information in the public interest is a grave violation of Article 19(1)(A) of the Constitution (Right to freedom of speech) and has a chilling effect on the work of journalists.
In Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, an investigation by The Reporter’s Collective reveals "stark disparity" and "systemic discrimination" when it comes to government response to different livestock diseases. Marginalised pig farmers, often from tribal and lower-caste communities, face government apathy in access to veterinary services, credit and market opportunities other than complete negligence when it comes to the government's response to the breakout of infectious diseases.
The social stigma associated with pig farming further marginalises these communities. This is in stark contrast to “swift” government responses to diseases in cows, which are largely reared by the upper and dominant castes.
The government food canteens in various cities act as a provider of affordable meals for the poor, especially the marginalised and the migrants. The India Forum reports on the Canteen Survey 2023 -- the ‘Amma Unavagams’ in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka's ‘Indira canteens’, and Rajasthan's ‘Indira Rasoi’. The Survey seeks to understand the reality and potential of this social policy intervention and the lessons to be learned.
The Survey found that it addresses several "market failures"—an assured supply of food when inflation hits and setting the standards for a hygienic and nutritious alternative to street food, which can be of indifferent quality. Additionally, it provides a steady income source for the farmers who supply to the facility and serves as a reliable source of employment, particularly for women and the marginalised.
In the Indian Railways, 'track maintainers' are railway employees who work in hazardous conditions without adequate safety systems. They regularly inspect the rail track by walking long distances with about twenty kilograms of equipment.
In the Thiruvananthapuram division alone, 16 track maintainers have died in recent years due to the lack of essential safety equipment. Despite multiple tragedies, the Railways have not fully distributed 'Rakshak', an early warning device that can potentially save lives, even though it does not provide foolproof security. Keraleeyam Masika reports from Kerala.
For more such stories from the grantees this week, please read on.
Warmly,
Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF
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