| DIG who tried to implicate Sharma, orchestrated plot to muzzle ET | | Condemned unheard, ET seeks people’s support | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 24: The recent assertion of Minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Sham Lal Sharma that he has been victimized for raising voice against secessionist forces and discrimination with Jammu region reflects the feudal mindset of the people who run this neglected state.
But Sharma is not the only sufferer. Early Times, which has become a strong voice now, has been victimized for upholding the truth. The police acting at the behest of the government have not only tried to muzzle the ET voice by sealing its printing press and office in 2010 but have gone to the extent of closing down other business establishments owned by the Editor of the newspaper.
Interestingly the DIG who tried to implicate Sharma in a false case was the person behind persecution of the Early Times. Astoundingly, as Sham Lal Sharma had said that a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) had tried to implicate him in false case and it was the same DIG, a trusted lieutenant of a Jammu based politician who was among masterminds in orchestrating whole plot to muzzle voice of Early Times in year 2010.
Moreover, the then Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu who was not working on the dictates of government, was transferred and a trusted lieutenant of the real orchestrators was deputed as IGP Jammu, to harass Early Times management. Even, the then Senior Superintendent of Police Jammu had also directed all Station House Officers of Jammu city to find out and collect evidences against Early Times management, so that strong action would be taken. If someone, feel that our words are false allegations, than we openly challenge to conduct Narco test of SSP to ascertain the truth.
However, a daring fight by the ET family ensured uninterrupted publication of the newspaper. And, despite odds, ET is now on top of the internet recording maximum hits. While fighting the persecution, ET created history by `becoming the first ever newspaper that did not survive on government advertisements.' The slogan carried on the front page for several months mocked at the champions of democracy and human rights.
The persecution started with the publication of a news regarding attack on a temple in South Kashmir. The news had been circulated by the Police Control Room and was carried by other publications as well. On the pretext of this news the Early Times Office and Printing Press were sealed on July, 1, 2010 vide order DCJ/camp/2010/001-03, without any prior notice. A copy of the order was handed over to the ET owner later.
The police raid on the ET office and residence of the editor is a fit script for Bollywood masala flick. The building was cordoned by hundreds of heavily armed policemen. It seemed as if the police were expecting dreaded Hafiz Sayed or Salah-ud-Din in the ET office.
The residential house of the editor was ransacked, women and children were harassed. Water tanks on top of the roof were also searched. After intense persecution at both personal and official level, we were allowed to resume both printing and publication of the newspaper vide government order number DCJ/PA/2010-11/151-156 dated July, 6, 2010. Astoundingly 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 and also clicked several photographs as generally done by police with criminals. Even, Passport of Editor-in-Chief was confiscated and a section was imposed on it, making it non-renewable.
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.
Understanding that this had not broken the determination of the ET family, the police raided the business establishments of the ET editor. Two Bars were sealed and the staffers arrested and harassed. No reasons for their arrest were given. The bars remained closed for 21 days causing loss of lakhs of rupees to the owner.
The employees were kept in illegal confinement for three days and then released on 27-12-2010. Forty one days after the unjustifiable and condemnable Royal Bar incident, two Cannon Bar employees were again arrested in fabricatedcase.
Cannon 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.
Soon after miscreants openly grabbed around 45 kanals of land whose legal ownership is with the owner of Early Times Bansi Lal Gupta. Under the instructions of a senior politician of Jammu, the entire drama of land grabbing was managed by the then Deputy Inspector General of Police and even police personnel and some officers were seen erecting poles to grab the land, despite High Court notice.
To justify his action the above said senior politician took into the confidence a senior minister of Jammu, who was bankrupt but now become billionaire in span of few year. One can easily understand the mental condition of a person, who after intense hard work of decades, saved some money and purchased land. But it hardly matters for the merciless police, who didn't bother about the ramifications of land grab over the health of that hapless person, who had to bear such brutal action and had fought with every possibility of his break down.
The Police created such a terrible circumstances that owner was instructed to go to concerned police station, where there was every chance of clash which would have prove fatal for him. Moreover, if the owner of land would have a delicate heart, he would have died in that circumstances and police, who were hand in glove with government, would easily put the blame of death on cardiac arrest, as done by them after the death of Haji Yousuf.
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 |
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