Sealing of ‘Kashmir Times’ Office Raises Outcry in Valley

WEB DESK: The regional administration of Indian-occupied Kashmir has sealed the office of a leading English newspaper, whose publisher said the action was “vendetta for speaking out”.

The local administration’s estates department sealed the office of Kashmir Times – one of the oldest newspapers in the region – located in the Press Enclave in the disputed region’s main city of Srinagar.

The Jammu and Kashmir administration’s move to seal the Srinagar office of Kashmir Times has evoked strong reactions from the media fraternity in the Valley and political parties.

“The Estates Department locked the Kashmir Times office without any due process of cancellation and eviction, same way as I was evicted from a flat in Jammu, where my belongings, including valuables, were handed over to “new allottee”. Vendetta for speaking out! No due process followed. How peevish!” its editor Anuradha Bhasin said.

Ms. Bhasin, who filed a petition before the Supreme Court on the media gag last year, has been at the forefront of fighting against the Internet ban in J&K and for press freedom after the abrogation of J&K’s special status on August 5 last year.

According to the Kashmir Times management, nothing in writing was given to the publication.

Journalists’ statement
The journalists in the Valley have condemned the action. “In solidarity with Ms. Bhasin, a group of journalists have offered their professional services free. There are renewed attempts by the state agencies to throttle Kashmir Times, a respected newspaper in both Jammu and Kashmir regions with a rich history of practicing independent journalism.

A group of 12 Valley-based journalists wrote in a joint statement, “In view of these government-sponsored intimidation attempts to silence an independent newspaper, we express our solidarity and support to its editors and our colleagues there.”

The National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have also condemned the move.

“This explains why some of our “esteemed” publications have decided to become Government mouthpieces, printing only government press handouts. The price of independent reportage is to be evicted without due process,” NC vice president and ex-Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted.

PDP president Mehbboba Mufti said Ms. Bhasin was one of the few local newspaper editors in J&K “who stood up to the Government of India’s illegal and disruptive actions in the state”.

“Shutting down her office in Srinagar is straight out of the BJPs vendetta play book to settle scores with those who dare to disagree”, she stated.

Courtesy: Aljazeera English and The Hindu