On 7 September 2022, the income tax department conducted raids and surveys at the offices of the Centre for Policy Research, the global NGO Oxfam India, and Bengaluru-based Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation. The IPSMF funds various independent media organisations such as The Wire, The Print, Swarajya and The News Minute. It has also funded The Caravan.
On 13 September, over six hundred citizens signed a statement condemning this action by the central agency. Terming it alarming and unfounded, they noted that “in the not-too-distant future they will come for us, each one of us. Not just for civil society. Or civil servants. Or any other group.” The signatories include teachers, homemakers, pensioners, social workers, doctors, personnel from the armed forces, journalists, researchers, bankers, academicians, filmmakers, writers, lawyers, retired civil servants and business persons. The text of the statement has been reproduced below.