The Committee to Protect Journalists has written to major political parties preparing for elections in four Indian states and one territory, urging them to include strong commitments to protect press freedom and ensure journalists’ safety in their election manifestos.
In separate letters, CPJ called on leading parties in the Indian states of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, as well as the territory of Puducherry, to publicly commit to protecting journalists during the election period by rejecting violence, intimidation, harassment, and the misuse of criminal laws against members of the press.
CPJ research and documentation show that journalists across India continue to face a range of threats while working, including legal intimidation, online harassment, physical attacks, and increasing digital surveillance. These risks can intensify during election periods, when reporters are often targeted while covering political events, protests, or sensitive political issues.
The letters highlighted longstanding concerns such as impunity for attacks on journalists, barriers to accessing government information, and financial or regulatory pressure on independent media outlets that continue to undermine the ability of journalists to report freely. CPJ called on parties to strengthen protections for journalists and reaffirm commitments to press freedom to ensure that the public receives accurate and independent information during the democratic process.
Read the letters in full below:
Assam
- Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister of Assam — Bharatiya Janata Party
- Gaurav Gogoi, State President of Indian National Congress
Kerala
- Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister of Kerala — Communist Party of India (Marxist)
- V. D. Satheesan, Leader of Opposition — Indian National Congress
- Binoy Viswam, State Secretary, Kerala — Communist Party of India
- Rajeev Chandrasekhar, State President of Bharatiya Janata Party
Puducherry
- N. Rangasamy, Chief Minister of Puducherry — All India N.R. Congress
- V. Vaithilingam, State President of Indian National Congress
- V. P. Ramalingam, State President of Bharatiya Janata Party
- Ragavapillai Siva, Leader of Opposition — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Tamil Nadu
- M.K. Stalin, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu — Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
- Edappadi K. Palaniswami, General Secretary, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
- Nainar Nagendran, State President of Bharatiya Janata Party
- K. Selvaperunthagai, State President of Indian National Congress
West Bengal
- Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal — Trinamool Congress
- Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition – Bharatiya Janata Party
- Subhankar Sarkar, State President of Indian National Congress
- Mohammed Salim, State Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist)