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| ET pays the price for seeking abrogation of JK’s special status! | | Govt’s style of rewarding the nationalists | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 1: Even as the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Home Minister, Amit Shah boldly abrogated the so called special status of Jammu and Kashmir, the Early Times was the only voice which had been seeking the decision since the inception of this English daily in the region.
Since 2002, when the newspaper started its journey as being the nationalist voice in the erstwhile militancy-infested state, where mainly the separatist sentiment used to be welcome then, the Early Times was bold enough to seek the abrogation of the special status, something which had been preventing full integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country.
While the idea to seek the abrogation was against the general perception set by the dynasts, who used to rule J&K, the Early Times showed the courage to uphold the demand setting a new and much-needed narrative in the minds of the nationalists, essentially those in Jammu region.
With the cause of one-India, in its relentless campaign, the Early Times published numerous news reports and opinion pieces that were path-breaking to justify why abrogation of the Article 370 and 35 A was much needed.
We dedicate today’s edition to reproduce some of those journalistic pieces that contributed in the abrogation of the special status.
Around two decades on, since when the newspaper started the unending campaign to demolish the special status, reporting on the issue was never an easy job, that too when the erstwhile state used to be ruled by the Kashmir-centric politicians, who cared little or nothing for the nationalist sentiment and Jammu region, alike.
The Early Times was bearing the brunt. At one point in time, even our office was sealed and numerous restrictions laid to muzzle the voice of Dogras.
Apart from the dynasts, the separatist sentiment was another challenge for the daily representing the voice of the people especially the unheard Dogra community.
Apart from getting death threats from terror groups, the Early Times had to face hate campaigns from those holding the separatist sentiment.
For the anti-nationals, the nationalist content seeking one-India program in Jammu and Kashmir was like an eyesore.
Never compromising on the ethics of nationalist sentiment, the Early Times through its reports set new standards of journalism in the region with an equal focus on the deep-rooted corruption in the system, which was mainly patronized by the dynasts, who had been having a field day.
Our efforts finally bore fruits on August 5, 2019 when the Modi –Shah created history in the Parliament.
While appreciating the abrogation of the special status has been trending since, the role played by the Early Times in molding the public opinion is being more than ignored by those at the helm. As the irony would have it, instead of appreciating the role played by the English daily, which believes in the idea of nation first, we have been put to punishments of sorts by the government.
Not any self appreciation, but at a time when the government should acknowledge the role played by the Early Times as a responsible media house in the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the nation, we are being made to starve, unheard.
Never was it expected that the government which is iconic for its nationalist sentiment would punish the voice of the dogra community in particular.
While facing administrative-hatred during dynastic rules based in Kashmir had obvious reasons, the new dispensation in place continues to uphold the same tradition of step motherly treatment with the Early Times.
Well yes, we do write against corruption and we also do criticize the administration to seek course correction on the ideals of good governance, but we are proud to wear the nationalist sentiment on our sleeves.
We uphold and promote the nationalist sentiment with pride since the times when separatist sentiment had a field day in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Early Times promoted the abrogation of the so called special status of Jammu and Kashmir when even the regional politicians didn’t afford to speak about it.
But then, as the fate had it, the nationalist newspaper which fought for the cause of national integration in Jammu and Kashmir faces discrimination, when the government is in the hands of those who realized the dream of one-India.
Hope the discrimination ends.
Jai Hind! |
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