Facts are an endangered species in New India. Consider the case of the Centre’s offensive and, typically, hasty retreat on the decision to ban two Malayalam television channels for their coverage of the riots that had singed parts of Delhi. The initial order for a blackout, now withdrawn by the ministry of information and broadcasting, had been prompted by the channels’ highlighting, among other transgressions, ‘attacks on places of worship’, the rioters’ demand for the identity of their victims and the passivity of the police. That these traits were evident during the conflagration is undeniable; there is substantial evidence in the form of eye witness accounts and images establishing these chilling facts. Strikingly, the ministry, helmed by Prakash Javadekar, did not accuse either Asianet News TV or Media One TV of inaccuracy in their coverage. Were the powers that be then miffed because the two networks were presenting the facts as they were on that simmering ground? The penalty for upholding the truth, or, for that matter, speaking truth to power — a fundamental responsibility of the media fraternity — can be quite steep.

Apparently, if Mr Javadekar is to be believed, the prime minister, for once, stood up for the fourth estate. Narendra Modi’s intervention certainly behoves a democratically-elected leader. What is curious though is that the order had managed to escape the notice of the prime minister who has assured the nation that he is the sentinel of the government and the nation. In a regime as regimented as the one in power in Delhi, it is strange that the order to ban two popular television channels could have been passed without

Mr Modi’s knowledge. Could it be that the unequivocal condemnation by the media fraternity and possible legal scrutiny — one of the channels had thought of challenging the draconian directive in court — and not a benevolent prime minister, brought about a change of heart in the government? It must be pointed out that such flip-flops — they undermine Mr Modi’s claim of running an efficient administration — are not uncommon. A directive to NDTV India to go off air for a day had been retracted as well. Perhaps the Bharatiya Janata Party is merely testing the waters. There is thus no room for complacency. Eternal vigilance, the media must remember, is the price of liberty.