Every profession has both good & bad apples. And one such profession Journalism where rot is so deep that even an apolitical person can write dozens of article on paid/corrupt/sold journalists & could easily expose them. But, here we have done something different. HMP lists out the five journalists who are lesser known but unbiased and transparent.
Ramnath Goenka
India is a land where the media and press have the highest freedom to express and report. This freedom can be attributed to the constant efforts by legends such as Ramnath Goenka, who fought for a free press. This fearless journalist opposed Indira Gandhi during the Emergency and is also known for his legendary fight with Dhirubhai Ambani, once a friend and later a foe. Ramnath Goenka had a deep love for his nation and democracy. He always believed in what he felt was right and had an unshakable sense of purpose.
Though unfortunately, after his death his publication ‘Indian Express’ was divided into his heirs & as of now under Anant Goenka Indian Express is allegedly a hub of anti-nationals & pro-Congress members.
Girilal Jain
Today, when journalists start blaming PM even when they get fired for their poor performance, Girilal Jain was fired from the post of editor of the Times of India just for having sympathies towards Hindutva. Despise losing his job, he never compromised with his ideology. He authored a book – The Hindu Phenomenon, which was published posthumously. He was an ardent supporter of Ramjanmbhumi movement. In era when journalists had become mercenaries of Gandhi/Nehru family, Jain was honorary exception. He opposed Nehruvian Socialism & non- alignment tooth & nail. For him Hinduism was inclusive, and not exclusive by definition so he never had Islamophobia as accused by his some of ‘liberal’ contemporaries. Right now his son Sunil Jain is among most diligent journalists in India who had many of stories in wake of 2G scam.
J.Gopikrishnan
In words of A. Ranganathan ,”God forbid, if this J.Gopikrishnan is subjected to Narco analysis, the whole damn media establishment will crumble like a house of cards”. He was saying in reply of J.Gopikrishan’s tweet ,”Journos receiving iPads is a silly thing…..In May 2009, i am aware a journalist got a car for full page interview of A.Raja”.
J.Gopikrishnan wrote series of reports on the 2G case. His first report on 2G case appeared in ‘The Pioneer”, English newspaper on December 11, 2008, exposing the hidden list of companies floated by the relatives of the then telecom minister, A.Raja. He was a complainant to CBI and CAG from 2009 about the ramification of the scam demanding probe on telecom scandal.
National Herald scam involving Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi (who are currently on bail) was first reported by J Gopikrishnan in Pioneer newspaper up on October 9, 2012. He is also a witness in the case filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy before the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate. He is also famous for courageous & investigative reportage into the shenanigans of Chidambaram family
Chitra Subramaniam
Chitra Subramaniam is a journalist, who enjoys tallest stature & utmost respect in Indian Media. She is famous for her investigation of the Bofors-India Howitzer deal (Bofors Scandal) which is widely believed to have contributed to the electoral defeat of former prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1989.
She has been so true to her principles that when her newspaper The Hindu tried to abruptly stop publication of her investigation, Chitra Subramaniam ceased to work with N. Ram ,MD of The Hindu group.
She reported on Bofors till 1997 when incriminating documents, her research was up-held by Swiss Court.The efforts she took to expose this scam are unparalleled in History of Indian Journalism &
can be read via her own narrated book ‘ Bofors: The Story Behind the News ‘.
Shalini Singh
Ms. Shalini Singh is one more fearless seasoned investigative journalist who prefers to call spade a spade. DLF-Robert Vadra Land scam was broken by Ms. Shalini in 2012. Though, then Editor of The Hindu & current editor of The Wire, Mr. Siddharth Varadarajan, didn’t carry out it for 7 long months. (The story was eventually had to carried out via Prashant Bhushan, who was involved with ‘India against Corruption’ then.
Her list of exposes doesn’t stop here as she boasts role in exposing Coalgate,2G scam, Harayana Land Scam , Virbhadra Singh’s Land Scam, AJL-National Herald Panchkula land grab scam etc. She was visibly upset with acquittal of alleged 2G Scam-esters accused by Trial Court in Dec 2017 & expressed her emotions through words -” The 2G scam is the biggest scam of independent India. Hope BJP , NDA is not set to commit political harakiri by twiddling its thumbs over the CBI 2G verdict just like it did all through since 2007 and even in 2012 after the SC verdict. & hoped Modi government pursue this case to its logical conclusion.
Honorary mentions :
J Day : J Dey, was an Indian journalist, crime and investigations editor for Mid Day (a tabloid newspaper published in several cities in India) and an expert on the Mumbai underworld.He was shot dead by motorcycle-borne sharpshooters on 11 June 2011, allegedly belonging to Chota Rajan gang.
Jagendra Singh : Singh was an from Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He died on 8 June 2015 from burn injuries. He had allegedly been set on fire on 1 June 2015 by some local policemen and criminals allegedly under the directions of Uttar Pradesh Minister Rammurti Singh Verma.[1]Singh had worked for Hindi language media for 15 years & had exposed many illicit activities in region. His murderers are still free.
Karun Misra : Misra was shot dead in UP for writing about illegal business-mining affair. He refused bribes and threats and was determined on exposing the criminal activities, following which the Mafia hit-men went after him. He was shot dead at 13th February 2016. His murders are still free.
Ram Chander Chhatrapati – Ram was Assassinated in Nov’2002 for exposing god-man Gurmeet Ram Rahim in a rape case. He worked for Hindi newspaper PooraSach, and exposed Ram Rahim based on an anonymous letter from Rahim’s own sadhvi. On the night of 24 October, two men riding a motorcycle shot Chhatrapati at point-blank range outside his residence. The journalist succumbed to his injuries four weeks later. His expose had led to the eventual conviction of Baba Ram Rahim in 2017.
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