 Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 30: In a significant development, the prestigious Press Council of India (PCI) is set to send a three member fact-finding team to Jammu and Kashmir to look into complaints of the alleged “harassment of journalists”.
The PCI team is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on the intervention of former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party President, Mehbooba Mufti, who has thanked them for the same on Twitter.
“The Chairman, Press Council of India while taking suo-motu cognizance on the communication of Mehbooba Mufti, President PDP concerning intimidation and harassment of journalists in Jammu and Kashmir has constituted a three member Fact Finding Committee consisting of Prakash Dubey, Convener & Group editor, Dainik Bhaskar, Gurbir Singh, Journalist, the New Indian Express and Dr Suman Gupta, Editor, Jan Morcha, Member of the Committee to inquire into the matter,” reads the order issued by the PCI.
“The Fact Finding Committee will regulate its own procedure.
The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir are requested to extend full co-operation and assistance to this Fact Finding Committee for the discharge of its function,” the order added.
“The Fact Finding Committee is required to make a thorough probe into the matter holding discussion with the concerned authorities and the affected journalists and collect such information as it deem fit to submit its report to the Council at the earliest,” the order said.
Meanwhile sharing copy of the order, Mehbooba Mufti has thanked the PCI on the microblogging website.
“Thankful to the @PressCouncil_IN for their decision to constitute a fact finding committee to probe about journalists being harassed in J&K. Hope the local administration ensures their full co-operation so that this committee can discharge its duty,” Mehbooba Mufti.
It’s for the first time in the recent past that some senior politician has shown so much of concern towards the complaints coming in from the media fraternity. |
