Several media organisations have expressed their serious concern over blocking of the the You tube channel 4 PM News, a digital media outlet on 29 th April , 2025 having 7.3 million subscribers citing national security reasons etc. The five media organisations Press Club of India, Indian Women Press Corps, Press Association, Kerala Union of Working Journalists , ( Delhi Unit) and Editors Guild of India in a joint press release signed by Gautam Lahiri for the above four organisations and in a separate statement of Editors Guild of India issued by Anant Nath, President and Ruben Bannerjee , Secretary General it is said that we understand that 4 PM You Tube news channel had raised some questions about possible security lapses that led to the wanton loss of lives in Pahalgam and as such these questions will be asked in any democracy. These media organisations said that taking down the you tube channel for posing questions amounts to the direct attack on freedom of speech which is enshrined in Article 19 (1) (a) of the Indian constitution. Gautam Lahiri , president PCI with the presidents of three other organisation viz IWPC, Press Association, Kerala Union of Working Journalists namely Sujata Madhok, CK Nayak, D.Dhanasumod demanded immediate restoration of the 4 PM News and its multi lingual channels in the interests of Transparency and Disclosures with immediate effect. The EGI of India reiterated its demand for a transparent and accountable mechanism for contents takedown, particularly when it concerns journalistic works adding that national security cannot become a pretext to silence critical voices or independent reporting.
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