Srinagar: Lift ban on Kashmir Reader sooner the better, Journalists based in Kashmir asked J&K Government on Friday.
An English newspaper published from summer capital of J&K, Kashmir Readerwas asked to cease publication on Oct 2nd 2016 by Deputy Commissioner Srinagar. Government has said that “publication of Kashmir Reader can disturb peace”.
It is fourth consecutive day today that Kashmir Reader did not publish, however, Journalist fraternity working for Kashmir and outside media continued their protest against “undemocratic” ban.
Unlike past three days, Journalists holding placards held a silent sit-in protest in Mushtaq Ali Enclave (Press Colony) in Lal Chowk. For last three days, scribes also took out solidarity marches in summer capital. The placards and banners sought lifting on ban on publication of the English newspaper which first hit Kashmir markets in May 2013.
It is first in Kashmir media history that such a step was taken by any government.
Speaking to reporters after the protest demonstration, senior Journalist Riyaz Masroor said, “press is an important pillar in a democracy and if rights of such an important institution are taken away, it means the democracy is demeaned.”
Masroor asserted that the way Kashmir media has safeguarded the democracy no one else has did. “We see in Legislative assemblies when members have difference of opinion (in passing or opposing a bill), they resort to violence, break benches and micro-phones and then these actions are justified in guise of strengthening the democracy and they have a constitutional provision.”
He said, “banning the newspaper and saying it is not popular itself means that the voice of Kashmir Reader has not gone well with those at the helm of affairs.”
Referring to silent sit-in protests against the ban on Kashmir Reader by scribes for last four days, he said that Kashmiri Journalists are putting forth their demands in a disciplined way. “If such ban was imposed anywhere else, media personnel would have come out on roads raising slogans.”
The senior Journalist suggested lifting the ban sooner the better. “Keeping in view the silent protests, government should lift the ban as soon as possible,” he said, “lest the silent protests will emerge as a big voice (against the ban).”
Meanwhile, speaking for the first time on the ban on the publication of Kashmir Reader, J&K Government spokesperson, Naeem Akhtar, said, “only one newspaper has been banned out of 500 hundred newspapers (published from Kashmir).”
Without naming the newspaper, he told BBC, “there were evidences and complaints against the particular newspaper being received for some time now.” “Not being so popular, the paper would publish only two-three thousand copies and the decision (to ban) was taken by District Commissioner,” he added.
Responding to the question from BBC, Akhtar said that there was “no ban at all” on publication of newspapers in Kashmir in recent times.