Journalists stand up in solidarity with The Tribune

A deputy director of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) registered a first information report against The Tribune and its reporter, Rachna Khaira, following a report on anonymous sellers providing access to Aadhaar numbers for a fee over WhatsApp on January 5. Several journalist organisations have since condemned the FIR and come forward in support of the paper and the reporter. 

The Editors Guild stated that it was “a direct attack on the freedom of the press,” it also added the FIR was “clearly meant to browbeat a journalist whose investigation on the matter was of great public interest.”

Echoing the Editors Guild’s statement, the Indian Journalists Union stated in its press release that the FIR is a “huge cover up of the corruption and inefficiency in the UIDAI and amounts to shooting the messenger.” Apart from requesting for immediate government intervention in its press release, the Union has also urged the “Press Council of India to take suo motu cognizance of the case.” 

Other journalists’ unions that have come out in support of The Tribune include the Foundation for Media Professionals, Mumbai Press Club, Broadcast Editors Association among others. 

Calling the FIR a “spiteful kick in the teeth of Indian democracy,”  the Broadcast Editors Association has asked for its immediate withdrawal. 

Twitterati, including journalists, also took to social media to express their support for The Tribune and outrage against the UIDAI.

Responding to the overwhelming support and solidarity, The Tribune’s editor-in-chief, Harish Khare, thanked journalists and media organisations in a January 7 statement. He added that their stories are in the nature of a “legitimate journalistic exercise” and that they will be exploring all legal options in order to defend their freedom “to undertake serious investigative journalism.”

Several newspapers including The Hindu and The Indian Express have also come out in support. While the Express ran an editorial with a stinging headline: “Insecure Authority”, The Hindu published a cartoon pointing to UIDAI’s ignorance. 

Speaking on the matter, Khaira was quoted by The New Indian Express as saying, “I think I have earned this FIR. I am happy that at least the UIDAI has taken some action on my report and I really hope that along with the FIR, the government of India will see what all breaches were there and take appropriate action.”