By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net
Srinagar: In the past three months, the state government in Jammu and Kashmir has pretty much tried everything possible to curb the flow of information and news in the state regarding the Kashmir protests. It banned mobile internet, it even temporarily banned mobile services, and also gagged local news channels, all to ensure that somehow, the tide of protests subsides. And as we can see, these steps have yielded little in terms of results.
(Photo Courtesy: Kashmir Life)
So, this time the government went a step ahead and banned the publication of Kashmir Reader, a Valley-based newspaper.
It is not the first time when the newly formed PDP-BJP coalition government has taken such a harsh measure on freedom of press. Earlier this year in July, the government had cracked down on papers and stopped them from publishing, albeit it was later rejected by the government and its blame put on the local administration.
As the question of who took call on crackdown of newspapers was still echoing in Srinagar’s press colony, four to five Jammu and Kashmir police officials on Sunday, Oct 2 paid a visit to the office of Kashmir Reader in Srinagar along with an order issued of District Magistrate Srinagar which called for immediate ban on publishing the newspaper.
The newspaper, as per the government order, contains such material and content which tends to incite acts of violence and disturb public peace and tranquility in whole J&K particularly in Srinagar district.
The DM further threatened Kashmir Reader with forfeiting the printing press and other properties, in case o violation of the said order.
The banning of newspaper has already created furor in Kashmir as well as all among the press freedom watchdogs who have condemned government’s unprecedented move.
Few people from J&K with whom TwoCircles.net spoke expressed their displeasure at such move which they consider as putting a knife in the throat so that people can’t speak up the atrocities.
“If you need to know the ground report and about the acts of oppression by forces then everybody used should switch to Reader. How can reporting reality amount to inciting violence? Is this the so-called Jamhooriyat of Modi government which it usually boast over Kashmir problem. It is simply putting a knife on the throat of a person who is speaking the truth,” said Aijaz lone from Baramullah district who is currently studying in Delhi.
During the 2010 unrest in the valley, then CM Omar Abdullah had also followed the similar pattern as adopted by Mehbooba government and banned telecast of local channels who were alleged of inciting violence.
“It is like shooting down the messenger. The newspaper was reporting from the ground zero. It is the most unbiased newspaper in the current uprising,” said Aamir Muzafar from Gonipora, Rafiabad in Kashmir.
A north Kashmir based government officer who wished to stay anonymous spoke on the newspaper ban and said, “Banning a newspaper indicates something is terribly wrong with the establishment and government wants to conceal the truth. This is not something new in Kashmir, as we have seen government gagging the print and electronic media in the past. Even internet has been gagged so that people may not know what’s happening around”
When asked why this particular newspaper was banned, he said, “The said newspaper is being targeted as it was reporting the harsh reality and sufferings of the people which government didn’t want people to know.”
The journalists in Kashmir are taking out solidarity marches in Srinagar to protest against the banning of the newspaper.
Hilal Mir, editor, Kashmir Reader spoke to TwoCircles.net and was visibly very upset about the ban on his newspaper.
When asked as to why only Kashmir Reader was banned when other newspapers in valley are also covering unrest similarly to his paper, he said, “They (government) said that our stories incited violence. We are yet to understand which content on our newspaper incited violence.”
On future course of action, Mir said, “We have a newspaper editors guild here in Kashmir. They are meeting the government officials. We are trying to solve it amicably.”
Amnesty International and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJH) have condemned the ban on newspaper and have called for immediately revoking the same.
“The media plays a crucial role in reporting human rights abuses. The government has a duty to respect the freedom of the press, and the right of people to receive information. It cannot shut down a newspaper simply for being critical of the government,” said Aakar Patel, Executive Director, Amnesty International India.
“Censoring the press will not put an end to the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir Reader should be allowed to resume publication without delay,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler.
Earlier last month, the J&K government had asked local cable TV operators in the Valley to stop broadcasting five news channels in Kashmir as the government alleges them of transmitting various programmes which has created law and order problem in the Valley in general and Srinagar in particular.