Malini Subramaniam

Malini Subramaniam (born c.1964)[1] is an Indian independent journalist, former head of the Chhattisgarh chapter of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and a regular contributor for India-based internet based Scroll.in reporting on human rights abuses from where she lived in the city of Jagdalpur in the Bastar district of the Chhattisgarh state. She was viewed as a supporter of the Maoists and driven from Jagdapur by anti-Moaists and authorities.[2][3]

Malini Subramaniam
Bornca. 1963
Bangalore, Karnataka
NationalityIndia
CitizenshipIndian
OccupationIndependent Journalist
EmployerContributor to Scroll.in
Known forHer reporting on human rights.
Notable work
https://scroll.in/author/1202
StyleGround reporting
Spouse(s)Ashim Chowla
ChildrenSamaa SC, Sakhi SC
Parents
  • S.M. Subramaniam (father)
  • Edna Subramaniam (mother)
AwardsInternational Press Freedom Award (2016), Oxfam Novib/PEN International Freedom of speech award (2017)
Websitehttps://scroll.in/author/1202

Career

Subramaniam is a contributor to the news website Scroll.In. She has been reporting on human rights issues in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. Her reports contained information on abuses committed by the police and security personnel, sexual violence against women, the illegal jailing of minors, the shutdown of schools, extrajudicial killings and threats against journalists. She was the subject of harassment from police and men in the community.[4]

Malini Subramaniam formerly lived in her Bastar home with her family.[5] Throughout her career she has been interrogated, followed, and harassed by police and members of a pro-police vigilante group.[1][6][7]

On the evening of February 7, 2016, a group of approximately twenty individuals congregated in front of Subramaniam's home with a goal to pin her neighbors against her and to provoke them to join in on the attacks. The next morning, February 8, 2016, her home was attacked by a group associated with Samajik Ekta Manch, who are anti-Maoists. They threw stones at her home and car windows shattering the glass of her car.[8][9] She attempted to gain help through a police investigation but was essentially ignored. On February 18, 2016, Subramaniam and her family were forced to leave her home by eviction notice. It is believed that her landlord was threatened to do so. Through all of the struggle Subramaniam refuses to give up and plans to go back to Bastar whenever the time is right.[10][11]

New Delhi
Jagdalpur
Jagdalpur is shown within India relative to the capital New Delhi.

Context

The harassment of Malini Subramaniam is part of a larger attack on activists, lawyers and journalists standing up against abuses committed by police in the Bastar District. One politician called journalists "presstitudes" to feed into the negative climate around 2016.[4] Investigations have been ongoing in the region pertaining to human rights because of a long going confrontation between government forces and Maoist rebels trying to take over the region. The India Today news channel conducted one investigation that tied police together with Samajik Ekta Manch. Police pressure journalists to serve as information delivers and jail those of report badly on them. Several journalists have been killed in this area for reporting on critical content.[12][13]

The anti-Maoist organization Samajik Ekta Manch was banned April 15, 2016, as a result of activities like those directed at Subramaniam[14]

Reactions

The members of the Network of Women in Media, India, strongly expressed their disdain of the attack on Subramaniam.[15]

Joel Simon, CPJ executive director, expressed his reasoning behind honoring Subramaiam with the International Press Freedom Award. He recognized her for risking her life to report to society and global community the critical news events happening around her.[16]

Awards

In 2016, Subramaniam won an International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists.[17][16][13] She won the 2017 Oxfam Novib/PEN Award for Freedom of Expression.[18]

References
  1. "In India, Journalists Feel Heat Under Modi's Rule". BenarNews.
  2. "Scroll.in writer, former Red Cross head, Malini Subramaniam attacked".
  3. "Attacked, intimidated, Bastar journo Malini Subramaniam packs up". 20 February 2016.
  4. "Female Journalists, Called 'Presstitutes', Face Extreme Harassment in India - Broadly".
  5. "Case History: Malini Subramaniam". frontlinedefenders.org.
  6. Chakravarti, Sudeep (February 12, 2016). "Gagging the media in Chhattisgarh". Livemint.
  7. Sharma, Supriya. "'Don't tarnish the image of the police': Home of Scroll.in contributor attacked in Chhattisgarh".
  8. "Stones hurled at scribe home in Bastar". 9 February 2016.
  9. "Chhattisgarh government must address intimidation of journalists in Bastar - Amnesty International India".
  10. "Chhattisgarh journo Malini Subramaniam forced to pack up, quit Bastar". Times of India.
  11. Duggal, Urmi (February 10, 2016). "Bastar: Journalist Malini Subramaniam's home gheraoed by slogan shouting goons". newslaundry.com.
  12. "Police-Samajik Ekta Manch nexus exposed in Chhattisgarh". security-risks.com. April 17, 2016.
  13. "Malini Subramaniam, India - Awards". Committee to Protect Journalists.
  14. "Bastar's Samajik Ekta Manch dissolved". Times of India.
  15. Network of Women in Media, India. "NWMI condemns attack on Malini Subramaniam". nwmindia.org.
  16. Reporter, India-West Staff. "Indian Journalist Malini Subramaniam Wins International Press Freedom Award".
  17. "Bastar journalist Malini Subramaniam honoured with press freedom award". 23 November 2016.
  18. "Ashraf Fayadh and Malini Subramaniam win the 2017 Oxfam Novib/PEN Awards for Freedom of Expression". PEN International. 20 January 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
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