The Milli Gazette, which describes itself as Indian Muslims’ Leading English Newspaper and has over the years earned the reputation of being an important voice of the community, is presently on the radar of the Government for its investigative story on the modus operandi of Ayush Ministry. The fortnightly paper has been served notice by the police asking why the license shouldn’t be suspended.
Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan, Editor-in-Chief of the Gazette, in his article published in Print Issue (1-15 July 2016) under the heading, “Modi Govt is after Indian Muslims’ Newspaper Milli Gazette,” has said, “During the 17 years of our existence, MG has faced many threats and challenges. I myself have received numerous death threats. MG’s continued losses, dwindling subscriptions due to our own website and a disinterest by the community too have been our problems which forced us twice to think of closing down MG though on second and third thoughts we refrained from taking such a drastic step knowing very well that, however feeble, our community needs this voice in English more than at any time in the past and this voice mattered not only in India but across the world.”
The paper also claimed that since 12 March this year, we are facing an existential threat from the Modi government following our publication of a report on discrimination against Muslims in the Ayush Ministry recruitments.
“Soon, on 21 April, the Press Council of India took suo motu cognisance and opened a case against The Milli Gazette. This action was unprecedented as an authority supposedly created to protect the freedom of Press, was, in fact, throttling that same cherished freedom. We have replied to PCI’s letter and the case continues,” the paper said.
“A third bolt came from the Delhi Police (directly controlled by the Union Home Ministry) when DCP Licensing wrote to us on 30 May as to why our newspaper declaration should not be cancelled. Cancellation of the declaration means the newspaper will become illegal. We replied without fail to this show-cause notice and are still waiting for further clarifications from the DCP Licensing despite the passage of over three weeks on our hand-delivered reply,” said Dr. Khan.
The reach and popularity of the paper can be visualised from what The Guardian while quoting its editor once described the Milli Gazette as “a newspaper widely read in India’s 140m Muslims and an influential newspaper for Indian Muslims. On a number of occasions the paper has been quoted by The Hindu, Rediff, and the Indian Express including many others.