claimed by the government? They can’t.

PGT: On April 2, the International Press Institute stated that governments, especially those with existing authoritarian tendencies, are using laws aimed at checking fake news to silence the independent media. They are taking advantage of emergency legislation to crack down on press freedom frequently on the pretext of combating the spread of fake news. They want to curb independent journalism. You spoke about US President Donald Trump. He is one person who has perhaps used the phrase “fake news” the most in the recent past. He addresses press conferences regularly unlike our Prime Minister. On March 20, a reporter from the National Broadcasting Corporation, Peter Alexander, asked Trump a question during a press conference. He said that many American citizens are today scaredand asked the President what message he had for them. Trump tore into him and said: “You are a terrible reporter.”

He launched a personal attack on him. You ask a question and you become a terrible reporter?

RK: Paranjoy, please note that the reporter was in front of the US President. In India, not a single reporter can be seen in front of the Prime Minister of India. When we say this, we do not know if he (Narendra Modi) is planning to grant interviews (to selected journalists) like the ones he granted before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Remember the kind of questions the selected journalists asked the Prime Minister. How many nights have you not slept? Did you speak with chief ministers over the phone as late