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| ‘House arrest’ for scribes, 2 injured | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Aug 2
The media fraternity, which along with the security forces have been on the toes ever since eruption of the present crisis, today had bear brunt of troops as their movement was restricted and many who ventured out were beaten up. Most of the media persons were not allowed to move out of their houses and were pushed in an undeclared ‘house arrest’
After imposition of strict curfew restrictions last night, the administration did not put any guidance on the movement of media persons neither were they provided with any passes. The troops on the streets, including the Rapid Action Force, Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police, refused to press cards since last night and a manager of the Kashmir Times newspaper was the first victim who was badly beaten up in Janipur area.
Hundreds of scribes could not reach their offices since this morning and yet hundreds more were debarred from performing their professional duties in curfew bound Jammu. Two videographers of local cable networks were beaten up in Rehari in Jewel Chowk early this morning sending a panic reaction among the media persons. Action on media persons earned wide condemnation from different political social groups. The Press Club of Jammu described it as a curb on the Press.
Matter was repeatedly taken up with the administration which refused to intervene or take cognizance of the matter. However, late in the afternoon, Inspector General of Jammu Police K Rajendra said the action on two scribed may have been due to some confusion. Later in the evening restrictions were eased
Meanwhile, the Journalists Guild (Jammu) has taken strong note of the police action over media-persons under the garb of curfew restrictions and asked the State Administration to clear its stand on status of `Freedom of Expression’ here.
In an emergency meeting of the Guild, all the members with one voice condemned the attack over media-persons and demanded stringent action against the guilty policemen. The members expressed serious concern over the present situation and held the Governor responsible for the entire mess.
Questioning the status of `Freedom of Expression’ here, Devender Padha, President of the Guild, has sought explanation over the matter from State Administration. He asked whether this right is intact or suspended by the State Administration.
He further said that attempts are being made to terrorize the media fraternity so that they couldn’t discharge their duties well and demanded that clear-cut message should be conveyed to all the law enforcing agencies to prevent the recurrence of such acts.
Later, it was unanimously decided by all the members to take up the said issue with Press Council of India, Union Information Minister and Human Rights Commission to highlight the misdeeds of Administration here.
Those attended the meeting were Rajesh Dutta, Vikas Sharma, Munish Gupta, Pankaj Sagar, Sunny Sangral, Mohinder Sharma, Sumit Sharma, Ashutosh Sharma, Varun Suthra, Govind Chouhan, Ajay Meenia, Bharat Bhushan and others. |
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