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Early
Times -a daily English newspaper which
has its edition published from Jammu in
Jammu and Kashmir-is a 12 page daily
edition. Despite mounting government
pressure, Early Times has picked up its
circulation and become one of the
largest circulated newspapers in the
state.
We also take pride in informing you that
www.alexa.com and some other
credible organizations have placed us at
No 1 position in Jammu and Kashmir in
terms of web readership, i.e. number of
hits per day on our web page as compared
to our competitors, for the past more
than six months.
The paper has already completed its 10
years of publication. However, the
struggle has been painful.
Certain elements from within the
administrative and political set-up of
Jammu and Kashmir in complete breach of
democratic norms have been humiliating
and harassing management of Early Times
Newspaper during the last one year for
reasons best known to them. We knocked
at every door for justice but to no
avail.
Our only fault seemingly is that we own
a few other business enterprises apart
from running one of the largest
circulated dailies “Early Times”.
Certain agencies at the behest of
detractors of Early Times newspaper are
leaving no stone unturned in murdering
democratic freedom that every individual
especially the fourth estate enjoys in
our country. The plunder of these
democratic values is going on in open
but none dares to speak for reasons
known to them.
To begin the grave story of government
penalization, on November 26, 2010
publications of government
advertisements in our newspaper was
stopped without assigning any specific
reason.
Our newspaper, Early Times is a 9-year
old publication well received by the
readers. However, our ordeal began with
the publication of a news item of an
alleged attack on a temple at Anantnag.
The report was based on official handout
issued by Police Control Room (PCR)
Srinagar. The same was carried by other
publications also.
On the pretext of this news item, both
our printing press and newspaper office
were sealed on July 1, 2010 vide order
DCJ/camp/2010/001-03. No notice was
served. We were handed copy of this
order much later. After intense
persecution at both personal and
official level, we were allowed to
resume both printing and publication of
the newspaper vide govt. order no. DCJ/PA/2010-11/151-156
dated 06-07-2010. However, some days
later, a criminal case was registered
against us under section 505.
Thereafter, taking cognizance of a news
item, though based on facts, published
on September 18, 2010; police registered
another case, for which Editor-in-Chief
and Managing Editor had to seek bail
from the court. Management particularly
Editor was frequently summoned to the
Police station and treated like
criminals. Police forced Editor-in-Chief
and Managing Editor of the newspaper to
give fingerprints on blank papers on
November 21, 2010.
This was done in full public view and
more importantly, in the presence of
several media persons, both from print
and electronic. The management and staff
had to bear this grave humiliation. Not
only this, our reporters were harassed
and rumors of the closure of Early Times
newspaper were spread on routine basis
alongside leaking falsified reports of
our staffers indulging in bad behavior
and brawls.
When the management sought concrete and
pointed references of the same, we would
be explicitly told that it was being
done to ensure compliance of directions
from the higher-ups. Following on,
Police and officials of CID started
surveillance of Editor’s home. Two bars
namely Royal Bar and Cannon Bar, both
located in city’s busiest trade centers,
were seized without any formal
government notice on December 2, 2010.
It took 21 days for the management to
get the bars reopened. 21 day closure
had serious impact on the business and
probably, resulted in loss of Lakhs of
rupees. A day after opening of the two
bars, employees working in one of the
two bars were picked-up by police on the
basis of an FIR lodged by anonymous
persons on December 24, 2010. When the
owners sought details, the same were
denied to them.
The employees were kept in illegal
confinement for three days and then
released on 27-12-2010. Thereafter,
certain miscreants openly grabbed around
45 kanals of land whose legal ownership
is with the owner of ET Bansi Lal Gupta.
Concerned police station did nothing to
stop open land grabbing despite high
court notice. Forty one days after the
unjustifiable and highly condemnable
Royal Bar incident, two Canon Bar
employees were again arrested in a
fabricated case.
Canon Bar episode at ware house was
repeat of Royal Bar incident. In both
cases, innocent waiters were booked and
accused were set free. Police action was
totally unjustifiable, unreasonable,
illegal, unfounded and hence, was also
condemned by one and all in strongest
possible words. We have reasons to raise
questions over the manner in which we
are singled out and brutalized.
Hence, to our readers, we plead for
creating necessary required pressure and
being our support in this hour of need.
We thank you for giving us time and
listening to our grievances with
interest.
Thanking you
Editor |