The enduring power of Fourth Estate

The role played by the media, whether print, electronic or social, has long been regarded as integral to the polity of a civilised country, particularly in India, where democracy is the form of governance. So much so that the media has, quite rightly, been accorded the status of the Fourth Estate, with the executive, judiciary and legislature being the other three.

In fact, French philosopher Voltaire went to the extent of saying that a democracy is safe only when the people are literate and the media is free.

Many governments, at the national and State levels, have from time to time made somewhat unseemly attempts to undermine the media’s autonomy, make inroads into their independence, and erode their ability to remain free, fearless and impartial. Fortunately, however, as in the case of the other three wings of the State, the media has managed to retain its prime place in the apparatus of the polity.

It was this esteemed publication, for instance, which in the 1980s played a historic role in exposing the massive defence corruption scam, the Bofors scandal.

Many interesting events in the history of independent India highlight the status enjoyed by the Fourth Estate. The famous political cartoonist Shankar often embarrassed senior political leaders and others with his frank and satirical depictions of their deeds. Such was the importance attached to the media by those in high places at the time that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru went to the extent of requesting Shankar not to spare even him in his cartoons.

When the National Emergency was imposed in 1975, The Indian Express carried a cartoon showing the President signing a file while still in his bathtub. At the same time, the day after the Emergency was declared, The Statesman carried a blank editorial column to express its anguish and concern at being subjected to unwarranted censorship. And who from my generation can forget G.K. Reddy of The Hindu, known for his authority in covering parliamentary affairs and national politics?

The role of media in highlighting issues has been crucial and often acted as a mirror to the government. I was the Collector of Krishna district in 1979. Under a government scheme, bus routes operated by private operators in Vijayawada city and the surrounding areas were to be taken back and allotted to unemployed youth. The youth would then operate buses owned by them as drivers and conductors, with assistance from the State government and bank loans.

However, it was through a newspaper report that I learnt that the scheme was yet to be operationalised because of political pressure exerted by the powerful lobby of private bus operators. I swiftly moved into action and ensured that the routes were taken back and new buses distributed to the youth in accordance with the objectives of the programme.

I recall with pleasure that my late nephew, Sitaram Yechury, and N. Ram, doyen of The Hindu family, were close friends. I also had a childhood friend, Bhujanga Rao, who refused to believe anything was true until he saw it in black and white — and only in The Hindu!

Much like the idli-sambar of Tamil Nadu, the avakaya of the Telugus, the Kashmiri navratan pulao, the mishti doi of West Bengal, the poha of Maharashtra and the dahi of Punjab, The Hindu has come to stay as an integral part of the culture of our country, particularly in the southern States.

On one occasion, I recall P.S. Rammohan Rao, former Governor of Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu, who, while speaking at a meeting, fondly recalled that, as a student in the then Madras, his staple breakfast comprised idli-sambar and The Hindu.

In the olden days, when reading newspapers was not very common, my grandmother used to ask my grandfather whether he did not get bored reading the same newspaper every day!

Mohan Kanda

(The writer retired as Chief Secretary of united Andhra Pradesh)