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Journalists roughed up, newspapers seized in Srinagar
CM searching for ‘super CM’ who ordered seizure of dailies
10/1/2010 10:32:51 PM




Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 1: Hours after a number of mediapersons were roughed up by Police and CRPF and most of the publications were seized in this capital city, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced in Legislative Assembly that Director General of Police (DGP) was searching for the authority who had ordered “unwarranted action” against the fourth estate.

Interrupting beginning of the Question Hour in Legislative Assembly, members of different political parties raised the issue of Police raids on printing presses, seizure of Srinagar-based dailies and beating up of mediapersons allegedly by Police and CRPF at several places. Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami of CPI(M), Mir Saifullah of National Conference, Harsh Dev Singh of Panthers Party, besides independent MLA Er Sheikh Abdul Rasheed, complained that the authorities had conducted pre-dawn raids on newspaper offices and printing presses, seized the publications and got the mediapersons beaten up by Police and CRPF.

According to reports available with the MLAs, Police and CRPF had torn out curfew passes of several mediapersons and prevented them from proceeding even to Legislature Complex for reporting of the proceedings. Most of the journalists had been reportedly roughed up at Hyderpora Crossing, Barzallah and Rambagh Bridge. They included senior television cameraperson Merajudin and Umar Meraj (APTN) and Mufti Islah and Shakeel-ur-Rehman of CNN-IBN, who were on their way to cover proceedings of the state legislative Assembly.

Harsh Dev Singh observed that raids on printing presses and harassment to mediapersons were reminiscent of the 1975-76 period of Emergency. Members condemned Police and paramilitary action and asked the state government to ensure smooth functioning of the fourth estate in Jammu & Kashmir. They said it was all the more reprehensible that the journalists had been subjected to cruel treatment and prevented from covering proceedings of an important session of the state Legislature.

Responding to the complainants, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that he had taken serious notice of purported action against mediapersons and the publications and asked DGP to submit his report to CM’s Secretariat in the matter within 24 hours. He said he was personally convinced that the action from his ad ministration was “unwarranted and uncalled for”. He said that DGP would find out the person, who had ordered action against the media, within 24 hours and submit a report to him. He suggested that the officials identified would be subjected to disciplinary action.

Chief Minister revealed that according to the reports available with DGP no raid had been conducted on any newspaper office or printing press. However, Police Station of Kothibagh, he said, had seized consignments of several dailies from two vehicles carrying newspapers for distribution and retail sale. He said that according to DGP’s preliminary report, today’s editions of some dailies had been seized only to find if they had carried any item that had the potential of creating a communal tension in the wake of Allahabad High Court verdict on Babri Masjid. He said that the authority to have ordered today’s action would be got identified and subjected to disciplinary action. He made it repeatedly clear that there was neither such need nor any orders from the competent authorities in his government.

“Soon the points were raised in this regard by the legislators in the House, I asked for details from the Director General of Police and other concerned. I have been informed that two vehicles carrying news print had been stopped at the Kothibagh Police Station in the early morning today for checking the print material to avoid circulation of any inflammatory matter. However, the vehicles have been allowed to move after making the necessary checking. I have been informed that this was done to prevent any untoward incident owing to the court verdict regarding Ayodhya”, he said and added that whether any such action was needed or not wass being ascertained and a complete report from the concerned had been sought in this connection.

Chief Minister regretted the hindrance faced by the journalists today to reach the Assembly due to heavy checking. He said the strict restrictions were sometimes imposed to protect the lives and property of general public and any inconvenience caused by such action was regretted.

Meanwhile, Press Guild of Kashmir has strongly condemned the seizure of the copies of all local newspapers by police and also thrashing of several media persons.
In a meeting, which was held with President of the Guild, Bashir Ahmad Bashir in the chair, it was felt strongly that the state administration was hell bent upon impeding the distribution of local newspapers and the practice had been going on from past almost three months.

Guild observed that the state government had been making it virtually impossible for local newspapers to continue their publication.“Curfew passes issued by the district magistrate are not being honoured by Police on the ground making movement of the staffers impossible and when, anyhow, newspaper establishments manage to print their editions, copies of the newspapers are seized by police,” the meeting observed, saying the government policy tantamounted to ban on operating of the fourth estate.

The meeting also condemned the attack by police on several media persons including Merajudin (AP), Mufti Islah (CNN-IBN), Umar Meraj (AP) and Shakeel-u-Rehman of CNN-IBN who were on their way to cover the proceedings of the state legislative assembly. Merajudin, senior most photo journalist has sustained serious injuries.

Warning the government to desist from harassing media personnel, the Guild has decided to formulate a concrete strategy to counter government’s assault on media and is holding consultations with other media representative bodies in this regard.
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