So when Khabar Lahariya and its own reporters wrote an open letter in the vernacular languages to document the everyday harassment they have to go through as female reporters, they expected local media organisations to pick it up. “After we wrote the letter, we sent it to all the local publications. Even though it is written in the vernacular language, only Dainik Bhaskar has published it till now,” Meera said. It was published on 12 October.

Their ‘excuses’ range from awaiting approval, or that they will publish it after Dusshera to delay the matter.

Meera said they have not published the open letter as they do not want stories against them to emerge. “It is their fear,” she said.