The arrest of ‘freelance journalist’ Rajeev Sharma by Delhi Police’s Special Cell has, on expected lines, sent India’s vested media fraternity and liberal cabal into a tizzy, who are floundering all over social media to defend what according to them is the wrongful arrest of a senior journalist and an attack no less on press freedom. While it was but natural for such anti-India specimens in the country to go berserk, what is interesting to note is the palpable fear which the Chinese are currently undergoing, so much so that chief propagandist at CCP mouthpiece Global Times – Hu Xijin has himself penned an article on why India and its people should not bring in Global Times’ name when referring to Rajeev Sharma.
“I think it’s very inappropriate for the Indian side to publicly link Global Times to this case and to create a sensation to attract attention,” Hu Xijin wrote on the arrest of the alleged journalist and subsequent confessions made by him to the Delhi Police. “They have obviously failed to show due respect to a Chinese media outlet. And it is particularly improper for the Indian government to do so,” he emotionally added. He also said, “I know some Indians have been unhappy with us. They can criticise us openly or argue with us, but it’s meaningless to play such a petty trick.”
Rajeev Sharma was found to be in possession of sensitive national security and classified documents and has also confessed to passing off information from the same to his Chinese handlers. The man has also written extensively for Global Times, which might explain the urgency with which the Chinese Foreign Ministry pamphlet attempted to distance himself from Sharma. However, in doing so, it has exposed a very palpable fear of having the Chinese nexus in Indian media blown anytime.
That there is a section of Indian media that has sold its soul to foreign handlers, including those based out of China, is known to all. China relies on the same nexus to churn out pro-CCP narratives in India. With the arrest of Rajeev Sharma, there is a high possibility of the man spilling the beans on the said nexus, which will then result in the dismantling of the same by Indian agencies.
Already, it was seen how a self-serving and motivated coterie of media persons swung into action and issued statements in favour of Rajeev Sharma, perhaps fearing that they were next in line to be apprehended for their illegal connections to Chinese handlers. The ‘Press Club of India’ had issued a statement which goes on to defend Rajeev Sharma and his actions, while citing examples of the times when the Delhi Police arrested individuals based on fabricated charges. The PCI said it is “astounded to hear of the arrest of Rajeev Sharma, a well-known independent journalist of long-standing and a member of the club. This is on account of the dubious track record of the Special Cell. More generally also, the record of Delhi Police is hardly a shining one.”
The cover being blown-off the China-owned coterie of journalists in India does not serve the long-term purpose of the CCP, which aims at hijacking discourse within India and direct it in its favour. To add to its woes, Rajeev Sharma must definitely be privy to many secrets, which he must have spilled over to the Delhi Police. China is therefore staring at an imminent loss of face internationally over how it got caught red-handed, interfering with an independent country’s media and influencing them, to perhaps gain a firm hold over the people of the country.
