Param Bir-led Police demands editorial access to Republic newsroom; Network won't yield

PARAM BIR SINGH-LED MUMBAI POLICE DEMANDS EDITORIAL ACCESS TO REPUBLIC NEWSROOM, NETWORK WILL NOT YIELD 

In another black day in the history of India, as part of the on-going witch-hunt against Republic Media Network, the Param Bir Singh led Mumbai Police has launched a second wave of attack on our journalists. The Mumbai Police has issued yet another notice to the Network,  this time crossing all limits with Param Bir Singh’s demand for editorial access to our newsroom. 

In an unprecedented move in the history of Indian media, in a case lodged under a draconian 1922 law, now Param Bir Singh has stooped lower and directed the Mumbai Police to gather details of every member on the Republic news desk with contact details and addresses, which means,  every journalist is being hounded with malice. The Mumbai Police wants intricate newsroom details along including login IDs of every individual who entered the office on the day when a story on Param Bir Singh’s officers being unhappy with his leadership was aired. 

In its latest notice, the Mumbai Police under Param Bir Singh has surpassed the realms of rationality. It has sought: 

1. Contact numbers and addresses of every member of our news desk 

2. Newsroom software details 

3. Newsflow with broadcast rundown details 

4. Newsroom software login activity

5. Which editorial members were specifically on the news desk in a specific time band 

6. Details of shift in-charges of our news desk 

7. Details of who was on what shift on our news desk 

8. Copies of the weekly schedule of the Republic news desk 

9. The man-to-man marking of roles and responsibilities of every member of our news desk 

10. Republic technician familiar with newsroom software, along with contact details 

Amongst other information vis-a-vis editorial control of the network. 

While Param Bir Singh may want copies of our newsroom software so that he can backtrace sources of aired content this concerted and calibrated targeting of the Network will not go unchallenged by us further. We will cooperate with all legitimate means of investigation but what is happening today is an attempt to breach and break all sanctity of the newsroom.

Republic will not let the Param Bir Singh-led Mumbai Police use their intimidatory tactics to coerce us into giving them access to our newsroom control.

We will not give the Mumbai Police access to the Republic newsroom software or passwords, the editorial intricacies or the private details of our employees. We will not share any information that gives the Mumbai Police active or tacit access to our newsroom. This action by the Mumbai Police is an illegality.

Republic’s newsroom is a holy citadel for our editorial team and one which is bound by and pledged to deep principles of journalistic ethics. We will not let a malicious agenda by the state blemish the Republic Newsroom with intimidation and vindictiveness. We will fight against every attempt to stifle the voice of a freely functioning media and resist the vindictive design of the Mumbai Police at every step. 

This is the biggest attack on the press since the emergency, with every journalist being punished and subjected to cruelty for doing their duty. Republic Media Network proudly has the youngest, most driven and passionate news team in the country. 

After planting fake stories, booking 1000 journalists in an FIR, issuing hollow section 91 notices and failing to prove any culpability, the Mumbai Police has resorted to target the Republic Media Network’s newsroom, almost indulging in man to man marking of every journalist. Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh has crossed all limits with this gross overreach of power.  This is a transparent vendetta campaign, that we will fight in the courts of law and the court of public opinion. 

We demand that the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting takes serious note of the matter and stop this trampling of press freedom.  We believe it is time for the Centre, the honourable Courts of the country and right thinking citizens of India to also intervene in the matter. 

The Mumbai Police can try to surveil our teams, they can try to intimidate our team, they can try to pressurise our team, they can try and drown us in summons and notices, they can try to entangle our team in a litany of cases but they can’t touch the Republic spirit, let alone crush it.