Opinion: Know the cost of exposing corruption! Who will raise the voice of the one who raises the voice of all, how many Mukesh Chandrakars?

New Delhi: ‘Truth, impartiality, passion’… the entire society and the religion of journalism demand these three things from a journalist. But the journalist has to pay the price for this. 33 year old young journalist Mukesh Chandrakar has paid this price in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. While the whole world was celebrating the New Year, Mukesh was brutally murdered. his/her body was stuffed into a septic tank and plastered over it. What was Mukesh’s crime? Showing the truth, exposing corruption or practicing journalism?

Who will become the voice of journalists?

Everyone expects us to be their voice. Be it the doctors’ march or the farmers’ movement or the lathicharge on students… everywhere a journalist is found standing fearlessly with a mike in his/her hand. Whether it is day, night, winter or scorching sun…our duty is to fulfill the duty of journalism. The price of this journalism religion is the lives of journalists! When will this society become the voice of the one who becomes the voice of the entire society?

Have to take risks every day

In today’s changing times, every third person, while chewing khaini at a paan kiosk, describes the journalists and media as sellable. he/she doesn’t take a minute to give his/her opinion. But a journalist has to take a worldwide risk before saying anything. Before writing anything one has to do several days or hours of research. Have to talk to many people. One has to look and listen upside down. So that the truth comes out, but even then journalists like Mukesh have to lose their lives.

Balancing reporting is most difficult in Bastar

We have a friend who has worked with Mukesh Chandrakar. he/she told that journalists have to take immense risks in Bastar. That entire area is Naxal affected. In such a situation, it is very difficult to maintain balance. If you write against Naxalites, they target you, if you write against the administration, they are left behind. The only hope is from the common people there, whose voice we raise. Expose the injustice being done to them. Mukesh had also done the same. he/she exposed the road scam. Which the contractor did not like and took his/her life. Mukesh escaped from Naxalites but could not escape from the corrupt.

The statistics of violence against journalists are frightening

But Mukesh is not the first journalist who had to pay the price of showing the truth with his/her life. India Freedom of Expression Initiative Report According to , in the year 2023, five journalists were murdered across India, while around 226 journalists were targeted. In this, two journalists from UP and one journalist each from Maharashtra, Assam and Bihar were killed. Maximum 54 journalists were targeted in Delhi. Those targeting journalists include politicians, actors, criminals, mafia and other anti-social elements.

year before 2022 94 journalists were targeted across the country. Eight journalists were murdered there. Of these, 103 journalists were targeted by the state, 91 journalists were targeted by non-state actors, including political activists. Apart from this, between 2019 and 2021, 256 events Records were recorded in which there was violence against journalists. These incidents included physical attacks, threats, arrests, and defamation cases. A large number of women journalists are also included among the journalists who are being targeted.

The voice will become silent in the end

These are the incidents that were reported… but the truth is even more horrifying. Many journalists like Mukesh are becoming anonymous while becoming everyone’s voice. Tweets are coming from CM to various politicians on his/her murder. Everyone is mourning. There will be a fierce debate, some criminals will also be caught… and in the end this voice will be silenced, like always. Then someone will take the mike and expose corruption, then some contractor will target him/her, then there will be a new Mukesh.