Officials are reportedly investigating allegations that NewsClick - an independent news and current affairs website known for being critical of the government - received illegal funds from China, which it denies.
One of those attending, human rights activist Yogendra Yadav, told the BBC it was “an attempt to muzzle voices”, adding: “There cannot be any doubt that is an out-and-out attack on the Indian media.”
Booker Prize-winning novelist Arundhati Roy, who attended Wednesday’s protest, said the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act had been amended to include intellectuals, writers and journalists under the definition of terrorists.
Among those also questioned were journalists Abhisar Sharma, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Aunindyo Chakravarty, Urmilesh, Bhasha Singh, popular satirist Sanjay Rajoura and historian Sohail Hashmi.
Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP party came to power in 2014, a number of media outlets have been investigated for alleged financial impropriety, raising fears about press freedom in the world’s largest democracy.
The NewsClick raids and the arrest of Prabir Purkayastha and Amit Chakravarty are the latest attempts by the Indian government to decimate independent and critical media."
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