New Delhi - The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) has strongly criticized the INDIA opposition bloc's decision to boycott 14 anchors, asserting that it poses a significant threat to press freedom and contradicts the core principles of democracy. The NBDA expressed its deep concern and anguish over the INDIA Media Committee's resolution not to send their representatives to programs and events hosted by specific journalists and anchors.

In a scathing rebuke, the NBDA pointed out that this decision by the I.N.D.I.A. Media Committee establishes a perilous precedent that goes against the very essence of democracy. Banning representatives of the opposition alliance from participating in TV news programs led by some of India's foremost TV news personalities reflects an alarming level of intolerance and endangers the freedom of the press.

Furthermore, the association underscored the contradiction between the opposition alliance's claim to champion pluralism and a free press and their decision, which demonstrates a troubling disregard for one of democracy's fundamental principles: the inalienable right to openly express ideas and opinions.

The NBDA drew a striking parallel between the boycott of specific journalists and anchors and the repressive atmosphere of the Emergency era, when the press was stifled, and independent voices were silenced. The NBDA firmly urged the opposition alliance to retract its decision, emphasizing that such an action amounts to intimidating journalists and suppressing the media's freedom of speech and expression.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) has also condemned the boycott, characterizing it as an assault on democracy. The NUJ strongly criticized the INDIA bloc's boycott of select journalists and accused the opposition parties of politicizing the media.

Ras Bihari, the president of NUJ affiliated with the International Federation of Journalists, labeled this decision by the opposition parties as a "dark chapter" of media repression in India's democratic history. He firmly declared that such actions were entirely unjust and unacceptable, highlighting a lack of democratic values within these political parties.