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Newspapers yet to resume in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: No newspaper has hit the stands and local as well as national news channels have gone off the air for the past six days in the Kashmir Valley.

The government-run Doordarshan and Radio Kashmir are the only source of information.

This situation arose after authorities clamped curfew on August 24 to thwart the attempts by separatists to hold a massive rally in Lal Chowk here on August 25. As a result, newspaper offices in Srinagar were closed and most of the newspapers published on Sunday were not distributed.

“Our vehicles were seized and employees beaten up, and no one was allowed to distribute the paper,” said Abdur Rashid Makhdoomi, general manager of the English daily, Greater Kashmir. The same was the case with other newspapers.

While imposing curfew, the Central Reserve Police Force did not spare even journalists, 20 of whom were beaten up. There was a virtual ban on newspapers and curfew passes issued to journalists were not honoured. The movement of newspaper staff was restricted.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary S.S. Kapur held a meeting with local editors and offered them all assistance to resume their publications. He clarified that the government had not imposed any ban on newspapers. However, the editors told him that owing to strict curfew it was not possible to circulate the newspapers in Srinagar and other major towns.

Earlier, the government banned the local cable networks from broadcasting news, saying the content was inflammatory. All local networks have since stopped telecasting even entertainment programmes.

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