Reports of government functionaries unwilling to share information with the media in West Khasi Hills District is troubling. Those in Government tend to forget that the media plays a critical role in keeping democracy alive and in keeping checks and balances in governance. The media is as important to democracy as the three other pillars namely the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. Those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear from the media. In fact, media and government functionaries ought to have a working relationship and a healthy respect for each other. It’s a different matter that those in Government today and that starts with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, are disdainful of the media. This example from the top does not bode well for democracy in India. Also, the culture of reprisal against media persons for reporting what those in government want to hide has only muddied the ecosystem in which the media operates. No wonder India’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, 2021 is at 142 out of 180 countries.
Without media scrutiny the government could drive itself down a precipice. The media is the bridge between state institutions and the public. It is through the media that people are informed of government programmes and policies and public spending. The media is as much a social audit body as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is a public audit institution. Above all, media is informing the public what they ought to know about government functioning so that they can make informed choices while voting in a new government. But it appears that those in government want to continue their untrammelled rule by hiding the truth of their actions from public glare. Studies have shown that countries with a higher degree of media performance show higher levels of political participation and less corruption. They also tend to have a more lively civil society even while elected representatives seem to reflect the preferences of citizens more adequately. These findings illustrate that media performance is clearly related to at least some aspects of the functioning of a democratic regime.
It is not without reason therefore that the media is called the fourth pillar of democracy. India has proven that whenever a democratic government tries to be autocratic, the media plays its role to the hilt to safeguard the interests of citizens. Unfortunately, it seems to have become the norm in Meghalaya that bureaucrats including police officials refuse to divulge information to media persons as if such information is state secret. Even the Right to Information Act has not been able to bring transparency in governance. This hesitance to provide information is a contentious issue that must be addressed in the right platform.
