Today, while reflecting on the journey that started two years back on May 19, 2024, when we transitioned from the Times of India Group to Tidings Media, my mind returns to one particular day from twenty months ago.
It was 15 October 2024. Kolkata’s streets were abuzz with protests demanding justice for Abhaya, following her brutal rape and murder. The same day, ironically, the State Government had organised the Durga Puja Carnival on Red Road. Protesters who were seeking justice for Abhaya had to move court for permission to hold their own “Droh Carnival”.
The Hon’ble Calcutta High Court rejected the arguments of the then State Government and allowed the protesters to take the streets in their quest for justice. It was an unforeseen contrast. Thousands gathered under the lights of Red Road for the Durga Puja Carnival. And several thousand on candlelit walks, demanding justice for the violent rape-murder.
On that day, the front page of Ei Samay carried both stories with equal importance. In journalistic terms, both events received equal space, with news reports and photographs. We showed neither bias nor hostility towards either. We simply followed the timeless principles of journalism. Place correct news before the reader with sensitive neutrality. Since we began, Ei Samay believed that this is its professional responsibility. I mention October 15 specifically because it symbolises the environment through which Ei Samay has continued its journey over these twenty months.
The Ei Samay edition published on 16 October, 2024
What followed, may not be known to many readers.
From the very next day, state government advertisements to Ei Samay were stopped. The reason, if one may call it a reason at all, was that both stories had been given equal prominence on the front page. Despite this, Ei Samay, did not move away from its path of courageous neutrality of news.
On 14 December that same year, Himalaya Darpan joined us as a sister publication. Within hours, state government advertisements were stopped there as well. Overnight, guardrails carrying Ei Samay posters were forcibly removed from different parts of the city. Even invitations to state government events, which are routinely sent to all recognised media houses, suddenly stopped reaching us.