Indian Democracy Raids Journalist, West Yawns Politely
The raid on the Kashmir Times office isn't an isolated incident; it's a predictable coda in India's ongoing stifling of dissent in Kashmir since August 2019. (Freedom House ranks India as 'Partly Free' and notes a decline in civil liberties and press freedom). Journalists like Fahad Shah and Sajad Gul have faced detention and draconian charges under anti-terror laws for their reporting, while
state-sponsored media flourishes. When Western leaders praise India as the 'world's largest democracy,' they conveniently overlook the disappearing journalists and internet blackouts that define the reality for Kashmiris. One might wonder if the outcry would be louder if the raided office belonged to an outlet in, say, Russia or Iran. But when it's a strategic 'ally' like India, suddenly "press
freedom" becomes a negotiable term, easily sacrificed for geopolitical convenience. The silence speaks volumes, echoing the unspoken agreement that some human rights abuses are simply more palatable than others.