I refuse to accept such a baseless report  

India is on top of “The World Press Freedom Index at 133 rank” which is not acceptable to me. I am generally an optimistic person with a firm trust in everything that motivates us for a brighter future but what I read in last year’s  ‘The World Press Freedom Index” report was certainly a put off for me. This report does not reflect the true picture on journalistic freedom or as it claims that it’s the complete report of independence by governments their ideologies or how the private sector interests were looked after during the past year.

Yes I am talking about the report presented by Paris based institution “Reports without Borders” which is considered as a premier organization that includes 180 countries of the world and provides a comparative study on freedom allowed to journalists including the level of violation of all the specific regions in the world.

Fair enough, we should have such reports which indicate where we stand in the world or how safe is our media while doing its duty bringing the facts in daylight. I have no doubt about the ranking of Europe with 19.8 points still supposed to be the best reporting media. I have no doubt whatsoever about three north European countries on top of the list Finland, Netherlands and Norway in that order.

I am sure not talking about the initial release of the report but after a deep study for several days but could not keep my views as optimistic as I generally have. As I said Europe with 19.8 points followed by Africa on 36.9 points surprisingly leaves America with 37.1, behind for the first time followed by Asia with 43.8, Eastern Europe, Central Asia on 48.4 and North Africa, Middle East at50.8.

However, my concern here is limited to ranking of Asian countries’ especially our neighboring countries while the Bhutan is at the top position at number 79, Nepal is 105, Maldives 112, Afghanistan 120, Indonesia 130, India at 133, Philippines 138, Sri Lanka 141, Bangladesh 142, Iran 169 China at 176, Iran at 173 and North Korea 179. Incidentally Eritrea is at the bottom of the list at 180. That’s what the report had stated in a nutshell.

I would like to mention especially that United States of America is at 41 and Russia at 152 that reminds me while I was living in Russia during my training period when I heard 2 of my colleagues talking  to  each other one Russian and another American. The American said “We are a free country and we have right to criticize our President” the Russian answered, “We are also free country we also have the right to criticize American President”.

That was a joke perhaps but we Indians top the table in this matter we can criticize or even abuse anyone including our nation and no one minds that. We should be placed right on top of the, “The World Press Freedom Index-2016”. So I am feeling the same that being a free citizen of this world I have my own right to refuse to accept this report.

Image source https://pixabay.com/en/grid-network-coordinates-news-1511497/