ITANAGAR, 28 Jan: The Reporters’ Collective (TRC), a non-profit news organisation, known for its investigative reports has said that the tax authorities have called its non-profit status.
In a press statement, the TRC on Tuesday said that, since 2021 it existed as a formal registered non-profit trust funded by citizens.
“But now the tax authorities have cancelled our non-profit status, claiming journalism does not serve any public purpose and therefore cannot be carried out as a non-profit exercise in India,” the statement read.
“We at The Reporters’ Collective continue to believe that journalism, when done right, is an essential public service for our democracy. Journalism done right is a public good. Investigative journalism that holds the powerful accountable essentially serves the citizens, particularly the poor and the marginalised.
“We have consistently worked with public purpose as a non-profit and in adherence to all Indian laws, without fear or favour.
“The order cancelling our non-profit status severely impairs our ability to do our work and worsens the conditions for independent public-purposed journalism in the country.
“We are seeking legal remedies to protect the idea of journalism as a public good and our right to carry out investigative journalism, research and training free of encumbrances, fear or threats at The Collective.
“We stand by all our colleagues at The Collective who have shown exceptional courage, skills, and perseverance to produce journalism that we all are proud of. We are not done yet,” the statement added.
