LETTERS: May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day. The fourth estate refers to the watchdog role of the press, one that is pivotal to a functioning democracy.
This is well illustrated by The Australian newspaper to call a spade a spade when it came to the tragic Covid 19 situation in India.
The paper unleashed a no-holds-barred scathing attack on the leadership in India. Among other things it said: "Every day, 350,000 new infections and more than 2,000 deaths are recorded in the country.
A situation due to the unpedictability of the virus but also to the lack of anticipation, arrogance and demagogy of the Indian Prime Minister.
"Preferring nationalistic harangues to health councils, more inclined to self-celebration than to protect populations, Mr Modi only aggravated the situation. In an electoral campaign for the reconquest of the States that escape him, he multiplied meetings in front of gigantic crowds without masks.
"He allowed the Kumbh Mela pilgrimage to take place, during which millions of Hindus immerse themselves, each other in the waters of the Ganges, transforming the place into a giant hotbed of contagion.
"Presented as the 'pharmacy of the world', the country exported and offered millions of doses of vaccine, ensuring that it produced enough for its population to be protected. Three months later, the Indian 'example' gave way to a nightmare.
"The United States, the European Union, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have rightly announced the sending of aid in the form of respirators or components for the production of vaccines."
The Indian High Commission in Canberra reacted in knee-jerk fashion with threats against the newspaper asking for an immediate retraction and publication of a rejoinder to set the record straight on the Covid management in India and also refrain from publishing such baseless articles in future denouncing the article as "malicious and slanderous".
The Australian in response remained cool, calm and collected. It gave no apologies, no regrets for its report. Instead it reinforced its observation by blaming the crisis on Modi's "arrogance, hyper-nationalism and bureaucratic incompetence".
The Australian refused to be intimidated and diplomatically stood its ground. It illustrates the need for a free press where transparency is maintained, vis-a-vis the flow of information, news and the public interest.
Dr A. Soorian
Seremban, Negri Sembilan
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times