“I still believe that if you aim to change the world, journalism is a more effective and immediately useful weapon.” — Tom Stoppard.

In any democratic country, journalism is one of its important pillars. Journalism is a reliable way for the public and the government to exchange information. It is a medium that gives everyone an equal opportunity to express their views and present their problems before the people with honesty, impartiality, and respect.

But what happens when this bridge between the public and the government weakens, or when it sits in the lap of power and authority and, instead of discussing public issues and presenting the public’s side, becomes the mouthpiece of a particular party and system?

The condition of the Indian media, whether print, digital, or television, is extremely serious in all three forms. There are many examples to discuss when it comes to the media, but today I want to describe some important recent incidents to you.

The first incident is related to the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority of India (NBDSA). According to it, in a case related to a protest connected with Aligarh Muslim University, news was presented in a misleading manner, and the actual issue of the protest was pushed into the background.

The matter was related to the statements and slogans of Talha Mannan, a student and student leader of Aligarh University, during the student movement against the increase in fees at Aligarh Muslim University. Talha Mannan had reached there to support the students’ movement. He delivered a speech of around 20 minutes and raised slogans. After this, the university administration accepted the students’ demands and brought the protest to an end.

In such a situation, it was the responsibility of the media to take the matter seriously and provide impartial media coverage. But how could Zee News stay behind when it came to the changing attitude of the media?

Four days after the speech, it aired a video of the slogan without providing any context. As a result, the matter reached the NBDSA, and according to media reports, the NBDSA found in its investigation that Zee News had failed to show the actual reason for the protest—the increase in tuition fees—and instead focused its coverage on a short slogan that had been raised out of context, thereby presenting the matter incorrectly.

The slogan made it appear as though the protest was about the Israel-Gaza war. The regulator also said that the channel’s on-air language, which included a reference to giving the protesters “Yogi-style treatment,” was provocative and was more likely to incite action against the students rather than simply present the news.

Another incident has recently come from Madhya Pradesh, where a tragic incident took place in the Banda area of Sagar district, in which several people fell ill and subsequently died after consuming poisonous liquor. Sixteen people lost their lives in this incident, and so far 19 accused have been arrested in the case.

To meet the victims of this incident, Abhijit Deepak, the founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, had travelled to Madhya Pradesh, where, allegedly, some media persons who had come from outside asked him provocative questions.

Following this, Abhijit Deepak issued a humorous statement on his social media account saying that he would resign from the post of Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. The working style of the media and its manner of questioning in the entire matter came under strong criticism.
Local media persons alleged that these supposed media persons had been brought from outside and sponsored so that politics could be played around the incident and people’s attention could be diverted from the real issues of the public.

If the entire matter is examined seriously, the media’s responsibility was to question the government about its responsibility for the deaths and to talk about helping the victims. But the alleged outside media persons surrounded Abhijit Deepak and bombarded him with questions such as, “How long will you do politics over dead bodies?”

This clearly shows that, in the name of journalism, these people reached the spot merely as mouthpieces of a particular party and, instead of questioning the government, began asking unnecessary questions to another individual.

The third case concerns The Hindu, a major institution in print media and an organisation that claims to be India’s most prominent newspaper. The matter was that The Hindu faced strong criticism over a full-page advertisement and subsequently issued an “apology.” The advertisement portrayed Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, the convicted rapist and chief of Dera Sacha Sauda, positively.

The advertisement, titled “What is Dera Sacha Sauda? (Facts vs Fiction)”, was published on the front page of the Delhi, Mohali and North India editions of the newspaper. It emphasised the social work of Dera and presented several figures related to the organisation without any independent verification or source.

In the apology issued on Sunday, 13 September, The Hindu said that it was “deeply sorry” for publishing the advertisement. The newspaper said that the advertisement contained several claims, including the claim that a conspiracy had been hatched against Ram Rahim by “drug mafias and anti-Dera forces.”

If such a large institution, with such a vast system, cannot verify the truthfulness of an advertisement, then how will it be able to win the trust of the public?

In the game of money and advertising, such incidents are not merely mistakes but are deliberately carried out to make money. Since the matter was serious and criticism from people was increasing, the institution apologised. Otherwise, how many such news reports and advertisements may be misleading us, making someone a star in one place and making fools of us somewhere else?

At a time when it is becoming difficult to distinguish between a media report and an advertisement, such incidents of mistakes and negligence create many concerns.

Finally, the condition of the Indian media is already declining, and such continuous incidents are making the situation worse instead of bringing any improvement.

I am reminded of the words of senior Indian journalist Ravish Kumar, who has said that there was never really a golden age for the Indian media, but the condition of the media today appears even more unfortunate.
What is needed is for students of media to understand the finer aspects of media and to carry forward the work of journalism with honesty, impartiality and responsibility, so that, in the words of Tom Stoppard, the path towards changing the world and bringing about revolution can become easier.

Disclaimer: This article is written by Mohammad Swaleh Ansari. The views expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Non Aligned Gazette. The article has been reviewed by our editorial team.

Videos of Delhi Police brutally attacking students protesting against the NEET UG 2026 paper leak during the 20th of March Parliament march have broken the internet; from politicians to social media influencers and celebrities, everyone is speaking up against the brutal and inhuman attacks on students. The protesters were beaten, attacked with tear gas, and even detained, but here is a bigger question about how these police officials and the administration or government got such guts to attack protestors, which includes young girls and boys.

This is not the very first time when Delhi police have been so inhumane against the citizens of India. In 2019, the same Delhi Police marched inside the Jamia Millia Islamia during the CAA NRC protest and attacked the students in the library, who were not even part of the protest.

Jamia Millia Islamia Library Attack: The confidence booster

On 15th December 2019, during the protest against the CAA, Delhi Police entered the university campus and attacked the students in the university library. Several students were injured in the violence. The police lathi-charged the students studying in the library and even used tear gas, due to which many students were hospitalised and around 50 students were detained.

This incident gives the confidence to the Delhi police and government because no one stood up against the inhumane action of the police force; instead, the “majority” of the country started giving the so-called law and order excuse, and some even accused the students and the university of being “anti-national”

History repeats itself

The best and worst part about history is that it repeats itself. After the CAA-NRC moment of 2019, another big moment turned out in 2026 as the Cockroach Janta Party protest or Student protest against the NEET UG 2026 paper leak, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. When the protest reached its peak on 20th July 2026 during the Parliament march, the Delhi Police repeated the same brutal and inhumane.

The Delhi Police lathi-charged the students and used tear gas, due to which several students and protesters were heavily injured.

After the crackdown by the Delhi Police on the Parliament march, opposition leaders, activists, and celebrities came in support of students, accusing the violent behaviour of the Delhi Police of being wrong. From Parliament to the streets everywhere, the centre of discussion was the same; even the Indian National Congress, along with its allies, protested outside the PM’s residence, 7 Lok Kalayan Marg.

If the opposition leaders, activists, and celebrities stood up against the attack of students of Jamia Millia Islamia inside the campus in the same way they are speaking up today, then maybe the Delhi police and administration didn’t have the guts to repeat such a shameful act. However, it’s better late than never.

Order vs Spine: A Big issue

There are a lot of people who are defending the police officials by saying that they were just doing their duty and following the order. The order is not given directly to a constable or sub-inspector. The government or higher authorities give orders to a high-ranking officer in the department, and then it follows the line.

During the CAA NRC protest in 2019, there were several IAS and IPS officers who submitted their resignation showing spine against the government’s order. The list of officers who resigned during the CAA NRC protest includes Kannan Gopinathan, S. Shasikant Senthil, Abdur Rahman, who was serving as IGP Maharashtra, and Shah Faisal, who later withdrew his resignation.

Following orders is part of duty, but having a spine is part of humanity.

I was 16 years old when I asked a question that I thought was simple. Growing up in an Orthodox Christian family, I wanted to understand why women were not allowed to enter the altar of the church. I asked a few church members, hoping someone would explain the reason behind the tradition. Instead of answering me, they seemed disturbed by the question itself. They asked me, “Why are you asking such questions?”

That moment has stayed with me for years. I was not trying to disrespect my faith or challenge anyone’s beliefs. I was simply curious. I wanted to know the reason behind a practice that affected half the congregation. Yet, what surprised me was not the lack of an answer but the discomfort my question created. It was perhaps the first time I realised that people are often more afraid of questions than they are of the issues those questions raise.

Ironically, Christianity itself teaches us that questioning is not a sin. St. Thomas, one of Jesus’ own apostles, refused to believe in Christ’s resurrection simply because others told him it had happened. He wanted proof. He wanted to see and touch Jesus’ wounds before believing. Today, he is remembered not as someone who lacked faith but as someone whose questions ultimately strengthened it. If one of Christ’s closest followers could ask questions without shame, why has questioning become something many people discourage today?

A Childhood That Encouraged Curiosity

Perhaps my habit of questioning began much before that incident. As a humanities student, I was fascinated by history, politics and society. I was never satisfied with memorising facts; I always wanted to understand the reasons behind them. During social science classes, I constantly asked questions, sometimes more than my classmates.

Rather than discouraging me, my teachers appreciated this curiosity. They often told me that I had developed a habit of questioning everything and advised me never to lose it. They encouraged me to think critically instead of accepting information blindly. Looking back, I realise they gave me one of the most valuable lessons of my life: that education is not about collecting answers but about learning how to ask better questions.

It was perhaps natural that I eventually chose journalism as my career. I was drawn to communication, current affairs, politics and social issues because they constantly demanded deeper understanding. Journalism school only strengthened what my teachers had already taught me.

We learnt about news values, ethics, reporting, editing and accuracy. However, above everything else, our professors repeatedly reminded us that journalism begins with curiosity. We were taught to question everything we saw and heard. The famous five W and one H Who, What, When, Where, Why and How became the foundation of our education. Among these, “why” always stood out because it is often the hardest question to answer. Anyone can describe what happened, but explaining why it happened requires honesty, accountability and critical thinking.

Like all human beings, even our professors occasionally became uncomfortable when questions challenged their own beliefs or ideologies. Yet, the classroom remained a place where questioning was largely encouraged rather than feared.

When Religion Could Not Explain Itself

Questioning did not stop after school. During my university years, one of my friends advised me not to enter a temple while I was menstruating. I asked her a simple question: “Why?”

She could not give me a convincing explanation. She repeated what she had been taught, but there was no clear reasoning behind it. I was not mocking anyone’s faith or trying to insult religious practices. I genuinely wanted to understand the logic behind the belief, as I clearly know all these are the products of patriarchy.

That conversation made me realise that many traditions continue not because people understand them, but because very few dare to ask why they exist in the first place. Asking questions does not weaken faith; sometimes it strengthens it by replacing blind acceptance with informed understanding.

Sad Difference Between Journalism in Theory and Practice

After completing my studies, I entered the corporate media industry with the idealism that journalism school had given me. However, the professional world soon taught me that questioning is often appreciated in textbooks but not always in newsrooms.

At one point in my career, some of my carefully researched and hard-written articles were removed without my knowledge or permission. I asked only one question: “Why?”

That single question was enough to make some people angry. What followed became one of the most painful experiences of my professional life, leaving me emotionally traumatised in ways I still find difficult to describe. There are many aspects of that experience I still cannot speak about openly. Yet everything began with one simple question that should never have been controversial.

That experience made me realise that many institutions welcome obedience far more than curiosity.

When ‘Why’ Becomes Political

Over time, I came to understand that this fear of questioning extends far beyond religion and workplaces. It is visible even in politics.

In a democracy, journalists are expected to question those in power. Yet we increasingly witness debates about political leaders avoiding unscripted press conferences or limiting opportunities for direct questioning. Whether it is the Indian Prime Minister or Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, the absence of regular, open interaction with the press naturally raises another question: Why?

Democracy does not survive because citizens remain silent. It survives because citizens continue asking questions. Unfortunately, asking uncomfortable questions today often comes with labels. A person questioning government policies may suddenly be called anti-national, anti-government or even an “urban Naxal.”

I know where I stand. I consider myself a proud patriot. I deeply admire freedom fighters like Jhansi Raani, Bhagat Singh, Jatin Das, Sukhdev and Rajguru. They questioned injustice because they loved their country enough to imagine a better one. Patriotism is not about agreeing with everything; it is also about having the courage to question what is wrong.

There is perhaps a psychological explanation for this discomfort. From childhood, many of us hear the word “why” only when we are being scolded. Parents ask, “Why did you do this?” Teachers ask, “Why didn’t you complete your homework?” Over time, the word begins to sound like an accusation rather than an invitation to think.

As adults, we carry that conditioning with us. When someone asks us “why,” we instinctively become defensive because we feel judged rather than engaged in conversation.

There is another reason, too. Questions expose contradictions. They challenge authority. They force people to explain decisions that they themselves may have never examined critically. It is often easier to silence the person asking the question than to search for an honest answer.

Questioning Is Not Rebellion; It Is Responsibility

Sometimes I wonder why I never learned the art of pleasing everyone. I often see people choosing silence, sugar-coating uncomfortable truths or flattering those in positions of power. I have never been good at that. Perhaps I never will be.

Since childhood, questioning has been a natural part of who I am. It has earned me appreciation from some people and criticism from others. It has opened doors but has also closed many. Yet I cannot imagine living differently because asking questions is not an act of rebellion. It is an act of responsibility.

As journalists, citizens and human beings, we owe it to ourselves to ask questions. Progress has always begun with someone refusing to accept “because that is how it has always been” as a satisfactory answer.

Today, I understand why people are often afraid of the word “why.” It has the power to disturb comfortable narratives, expose injustice and demand accountability. A question may appear small, but it can shake institutions, challenge traditions and inspire change.

People may silence individuals, suppress stories or dismiss voices. They may even succeed for a while. But ideas have a life far greater than the people who carry them. Every major social reform, scientific discovery and democratic movement began because someone dared to ask a question that others were afraid to ask.

I have come to believe that questioning is not merely something I do, it is part of who I am. Even if answers do not always come, I will continue asking. Because the day we stop asking “why” is the day we die, stop learning, stop growing and stop holding power accountable.

Perhaps that is exactly why so many people fear one simple word: Why?

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United States of America is celebrating 250 years of freedom across the world, particularly India (where Trump Avenue has recently been in the news), but as much as it is celebrating freedom, the so-called “world power” is taking away the freedom and basic human rights of the civilians especially in Asia by bombing or taking freedom from them to make decisions for their own country, and actually this is not the first time the US is doing so, it has a track record of 250 years of oppression, destruction and war crime. There are some of the major events which expose the US’s dirty politics for power and capitalistic desires.

The “Freedom” Philosophy

The United States has a very old story of destroying a nation, intervening in its government in the name of freedom and human rights. After the US took the Philippines from Spain in 1899, it turned its guns on the very people and claimed that it was freeing. The fighting that followed killed some 200,000 to a million Filipinos, most of them were ordinary men and women caught in war, hunger and disease. It was one of the first times that the world witnessed a pattern that would repeat itself repeatedly. Freedom to America and blood paid for by someone else.

Biggest war crime of human history

The biggest war crime in human history is also done by America. In 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Between 150,000 and 246,000 people died, many of them in days; some slowly over the years from radiation sickness. These were not soldiers on a battlefield. They were families, schoolchildren, shopkeepers, and people living their ordinary lives when the sky opened up.

Korea, and a war that never really ended

The Korean War in the early 1950s brought millions of people— no link to politics at all— into millions of people who had nothing to do with the politics behind it. Around three million people died on both sides, most of them Korean civilians. And even today, the two Koreas remain divided, a wound that America started and never entirely closed.

Toppling governments in Guatemala, Chile, and beyond

American soldiers did not always send its own troops. Sometimes it did, however, just help remove a government it did not like. In 1954 in Guatemala, a democratic government was overthrown by American power with American support, and civil war ensued in Guatemala that killed more than 200,000 people. In Chile in 1973 US support brought General Pinochet to power; his government killed thousands and tortured many more. These were not accidents. They were choices, made because Washington did not like the direction these countries were choosing for themselves.

Indonesia’s silent tragedy

Between 1965 and 1966, Indonesia went through one of the deadliest anti-communist purges in modern history. The United States gave intelligence and support to the people carrying it out. Somewhere between 500,000 and a million people were killed. Most of the world barely talks about it, but the numbers tell their own story.

Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, a war that spilled across borders

The Vietnam War is one of the most well-known American wars, and for good reason. Somewhere between 1.5 million and nearly 4 million Vietnamese people died. But America did not stop at Vietnam’s borders. It conducted secret bombing campaigns in Laos and Cambodia, killing hundreds of thousands more and fueling the chaos that allowed the Khmer Rouge to later execute genocide in Cambodia.

Central America in the 1980s

In Nicaragua and El Salvador, American money and weapons fueled civil wars that killed tens of thousands of people. The toll in Nicaragua was about 30,000. In El Salvador it was about 75,000. These wars were fought in the name of stopping communism, but the people who paid the price were farmers, teachers and children who had no say in any of it.

Iraq, sanctions, and two wars

West Asia has been one of the favorite war grounds for the US. Iraq has felt America’s hand more than almost any other country in the world. The Gulf War in 1991 killed at least 100,000 to 200,000 Iraqis (and at least some of them were mostly ordinary people in the long run), the months of sanctions that followed inflicted a severe blow to the lives of the poorest people in Iraq, cutting off medicine and food in ways which are still debated and that were undeniably cruel. Then came the invasion in 2003, and the war and occupation that killed anywhere from 150,000 to over 450,000 people across the years (with great uncertainty), a war and occupation to date that has been estimated to have killed 150,000 to over 450,000 people, the estimates are still in dispute. A country was torn apart in the name of weapons that were never found.

Afghanistan, the twenty-year war

After the attacks on 9/11, America invaded Afghanistan and stayed for twenty years. By the time it left in 2021, tens of thousands of Afghan civilians had died, along with security forces, aid workers, and journalists. Brown University’s Costs of War project puts the direct death toll from America’s post 9/11 wars, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, and Pakistan at more than 940,000 people, with millions more indirectly killed by the destruction of hospitals, water systems and economies.

Yemen and Gaza, the newer chapters

And America’s fingerprints are not only on history. In Yemen, American weapons and support for a Saudi-led coalition have been part of a war that the United Nations believes has killed around 150,000 people directly, with hundreds of thousands more dying from hunger and collapsed healthcare. In Gaza, American military and political support for Israel’s campaign has coincided with a death toll Gaza’s health ministry puts at more than 67,000 people as of late 2025.

Venezuela, a different kind of war

Not every American weapon is a bomb. Years of American sanctions have so squeezed Venezuela’s economy that some economists say tens of thousands of people have died as an indirect result, from lost oil income to shortages of medicine. No missiles were fired, but the impact on ordinary lives was still severe.

The America’s story

To be fair, America has never framed any of this as an oppression. Each war had its own official reason. Ending communism, defending allies, fighting terrorism, removing dictators, and defending human rights. And many Americans and their allies believed, and still believe, to be true, that these were the necessary things to do in a dangerous world. Historians and governments are still debating how much of this was an act of self-defense and how much was overreached.

A pattern worth remembering

The numbers tell a story, and they tell a story no matter what reasons are put forward. Millions of people in Asia, Latin America, and beyond have paid for their lives, their homes and their right to choose for themselves to make a future. And as America celebrates 250 years of its own freedom, it is not hard to ask one simple question. Freedom for whom, and at what cost to everyone else?

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One day while sitting in CCD and enjoying our favorite mango matcha, Namrata and I decided to do stories that matter, that are not paraphrased, and that are written on pointers shared on WhatsApp by “Editor.” While working in mainstream media, we both have realized that almost all the media houses are just publishing the wire, paraphrasing content, and writing copies on the same stories and angles, and these media houses are not going to invest in good stories anymore.

We both decided to build our own platform, Non Aligned Gazette, where we can not only work on stories that are important, but we can also collaborate with like-minded writers and thinkers who have a story to tell that is important for the world to know.

We cover a wide range of topics, from South Asia to West Asia, the US, and the latest trends in technology and AI. NAG will be delivering exclusive, fact-based, and opinion-based stories that will help you to shape opinion and know different angles of a story without noise and incomplete facts.

If you have important stories to share, pitch us at Editor@nonalignedgazette.com.

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