Latest news with #N.Ram
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Incremental authoritarianism at work in India, says N. Ram
A number of factors have combined to cast a shadow over India's democracy and its media landscape, N. Ram, former Editor-in-Chief, The Hindu, said on Wednesday (May 28, 2025), listing troubling trends such as communalism as a political mobilisation strategy, the re-jigging and manipulation of State institutions, the rise and enormous spread of the social media in society, and the weaponisation of hate speech, disinformation, misinformation, and toxic propaganda both on social media and in sections of the mainstream media. Delivering a lecture in memory of M.P. Veerendra Kumar, former Managing Director, Mathrubhumi, Mr. Ram pointed out that the country faces an intensely divisive and polarising communal climate, orchestrated hate campaigns and crimes, and fascistic violence directed at minorities and others. 'India had witnessed and experienced some of this from the 1990s. The situation turned qualitatively worse in 2014, when there was a regime change that proved to be much more than a change of government,' he said. Modi-Trump: shared authoritarianism Drawing a comparison between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and U.S. President Donald Trump, Mr. Ram said that while the two leaders may have strikingly different backgrounds and styles, their administrations share an authoritarian disdain for their countries' Constitutions and the values, spirit, and even the letter of these foundational charters. Quoting scholars Christophe Jaffrelot and Pratinav Anil, Mr. Ram said that independent India's first dictatorship — the Emergency imposed in June 1975 by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — was a complex phenomenon that was 'neither a parenthesis, nor so much as a turning point, but a concentrate of a style of rule, an élan alive today.' This involved, among other things, 'a dialectical relationship between populism and authoritarianism.' It is this relationship that has been at play over the past decade, Mr. Ram said, eating into the vitals of Indian democracy. The BJP regime, backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and its affiliates, has taken the path of incremental authoritarianism, softening up and, wherever possible, suborning constitutional and democratic institutions and undermining India's already stressed secular foundations, he added. 'Independent journalism still alive' 'The present is a period in which independent and fearless journalism is at a premium in India, or so it seems,' Mr. Ram said. 'Several Indian television news channels and mainstream newspapers, daily and periodical, are clearly and conspicuously engaged in propagandising and manufacturing consent for the ideology, policies, and actions of the ruling party and the dominant saffron political formation. However, there is evidence that independent, investigative journalism is alive, active, and productive,' he added. While investigating, exploring, and experimenting, journalists of the first rank should not be satisfied with bringing to light a mass of material facts that they manage to unearth through diligent work, or that fall into their laps by a stroke of luck. 'Their real pursuit is to invest these hitherto concealed or inaccessible facts with social, moral, and often, historical meaning, and weave them into a coherent and compelling story, so that the journalism contributes significantly to raising social awareness of the issues involved and stands the test of time,' Mr. Ram said. In his book on newspapers, journalism, and the business of news in the digital age, British journalist and educator George Brock had identified four core tasks as 'the irreducible core… the foundation on which journalism in the 21st century is going to be rebuilt' — verification, bearing witness, sense making, and investigation. 'The only way to protect media freedom is to exercise your right to free speech and independence, come what may,' Mr. Ram said. Also at the event, the first National Thought Leadership Award, instituted in memory of the late Mathrubhumi Managing Director Veerendra Kumar, was presented to Karnataka-based environmentalist Panduranga Hegde by water conservationist Rajendra Singh.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
The Hindu Huddle 2025: Not against delimitation but south India should get 33% representation, says Telangana CM Revanth Reddy
The southern States in India stand to lose in the delimitation exercise initiated by the BJP government at the Centre according to Revanth Reddy, the Chief Minister of Telangana. Responding to a question by The Hindu Group's Director N. Ram at The Hindu Huddle thought conclave, the CM said the exercise appears to be a punishment for Southern States which implemented family planning. Also Read | The Hindu Huddle 2025 Day 1 live updates 'We are fundamentally not against it but we need to know the terms of reference. If it's based on population or pro rata, the southern States would lose as they strictly implemented family planning. Instead of appreciation, they are punished for the initiative. And such a scenario would widen the gap between the southern and northern states,' Mr. Reddy said. When asked about the solution for the issue, the CM suggested that there should be 33% seats to southern States. Taking up the case of these States, he said, 'We've been contributing a lot in terms of tax but what we get in return is much less compared to the BIMARU States. So the best solution is to give 33% seats to the south. BJP apparently wants to deny political opportunity to the south with just one policy.' He further opined that there should be wider consultation with the stakeholders on the terms of reference and other issues. Speaking about social justice and bold experiments and branding the caste census as a Congress party mark initiative (taken up by the BJP), he said, the survey would be an answer to the next generation over the result of welfare taken up past 70 and odd years. 'We've taken up several parameters, health, education, backwardness etc, and included all sections, SC, ST, Minority, EWS for the census across Telangana to ensure justice to the poorest of the poor. This is Telangana model and Government of India is implementing it,' he claimed. Speaking about the liberal steps taken up in government residential schools, he said that all the residential schools, SC, ST, Minority and others, are being merged to help the students from deprivation and social isolation. 'Taking inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi's Young India, I asked officials to include everyone and name the schools as Young India Residential Schools. We are allocating 25 acres to each of the school,' he stated. He spoke at length about the farming community in Telangana, which forms 60% of population, and said Rs 21,000 crore debts cleared and another ₹18,000 crore input subsidy per annum was provided to farmers. 'Besides free power, farmers in Telangana get bonus and MSP and their paddy production was the highest in the country. My idea is to facilitate a farmer, a businessman and an employee in each family,' Mr. Revanth claimed. Women in Telangana were given free ride in over 1,000 RTC buses. For women Self Help Groups, a host of projects, solar etc, skilling through tie ups with corporates such as Tata and entities in Japan and Singapore are in place. And there are incentives for SHGs to market their products abroad according to Mr. Revanth. The CM said the State of Telangana could secure ₹3 lakh crore investment through Davos platform and they are being facilitated through a single window clearance system. 'There are a bunch of countries such as Taiwan where the investment is overflowing. I want to propose Telangana a preferred alternative in the world for foreign investment. Infrastructure, manufacturing and green technologies are being encouraged. And there is zero tax on electronic and other segments,' he said. Giving details about the proposed fourth city around Hyderabad, which is planned in 30,000 acres, he said, it will cater to investments in a bouquet of sectors medical tourism, education, sports and sustainable living with zero emissions. Telangana being land locked, the State is developing a dedicated export corridor/ highway to access Machilipatnam port in Andhra Pradesh according to him. 'We want to create the best infrastructure here to give competition to global cities such as New York,' he said. The Hindu Huddle 2025 is presented by Sami-Sabinsa Group Co-powered by: Government of Karnataka, Government of Telangana Associate Partners: ONGC, Presidency University, TAFE, Akshayakalpa Organic Energy Partner : Indian Oil Corporation Limited Realty partner: Casagrand Knowledge partner: Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham State partner: Meghalaya tourism and Haryana government Luxury car partner: Toyota Radio partner: Radio City Gift partner: Anand Prakash Broadcast partner: Times Now Outdoor media partner: Signpost India
The Hindu
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
N. Ram is a towering sentinel of Indian journalism: Stalin
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday extended his greetings to N. Ram, Director, The Hindu Group Publishing Private Limited, on his eightieth birthday. In a social media post, Mr. Stalin called Mr. Ram his 'walking friend' and 'thinking companion' and described him as a towering sentinel of Indian journalism. 'He interrogates the news, questions power, and stands firm for press freedom. May his wisdom continue to ignite thought and guide public reason,' he said. The Chief Minister also shared a photo of him in the company of Mr Ram. Greeting Mr. Ram in a post on X, Makkal Needhi Maiam president and actor Kamal Haasan described him as his friend and a stalwart of Indian journalism who stood firm for truth, fairness, and the freedom to question. 'Grateful for his clarity, courage, and companionship over the years,' he said. Pattali Makkal Katchi president Anbumani Ramadoss, in a post on X, said: 'I extend my wishes to one of India's renowned journalists and the Director of The Hindu Publishing Group, Mr. N. Ram, who is celebrating his 80th birthday. I wish that he continues to serve the people for many more years with good health.'
