Srinagar: In an unprecedented move, the security officials on Saturday barred several accredited reporters and photographers from covering the ceremonial Republic Day function at Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, triggering protests by media persons in the Valley and beyond.
According to witnesses, even after being issued invitation and security passes, half a dozen reporters and photographers were returned from the main entrance to the venue by these officials saying they have been provided with a list of media persons with the instructions not to allow them in.
Also, for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, several other reporters and press photographers were excluded from the list of invitees for unspecified reasons although their being accredited with the state information department and in the profession for several decades.
To protest against the police “highhandedness”, the other mediapersons also boycotted the official function and later during the day scores of reporters, photographers and other media persons took out a protest march from Kashmir Press Club at Srinagar’s Poloview marketplace to the city’s central square Lal Chowk, where they staged a peaceful protest demonstration.
The protesting mediapersons sought clarification from the authorities on the matter and end to such curbs on the working of the members of the fourth estate in the Valley. “It is for the first time in my career spanning over several decades that such a bizarre incident has taken place,” said senior lensman Habibullah Naqash.
Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) strongly condemned the action of the security grid and said that the same suggested that the security establishment wishes to frighten the media by not allowing them to carry out their professional duties.
“Today’s incident provides a grim reminder yet again about the fact that how vulnerable the media is in an area that is riddled with conflict and lawlessness,” it said adding “The stopping of media persons from carrying out their duties is becoming a norm these days as they were also stopped from covering an event in Baramulla on Thursday”.
While strongly condemning the incident, the KEG and other media organizations called for a strong action against those officials “who sought to muzzle the press and take steps to create a situation where media can function freely and discharge its duty to the citizens by providing information on the happenings in the State”. The KEG also demanded that the details of the so-called adverse reports that the police claims it has collected against the senior scribes be made public.
K. Vijay Kumar, advisor to J&K Governor said that the issue would be looked into and the entire process of security clearance for issuance of passes to journalists reviewed for better coordination in future.
“It is learnt that today at Republic Day parade venue in Srinagar some journalists were not permitted to cover the event as the security passes issued to them were found not to be authenticated. The matter shall be looked into,” Mr. Kumar who is Incharge Home Department said in a statement.
He also said that it has been given to understand that primarily the incident occurred because of the procedure followed by the police for issuance of security passes during such events. “The entire process of such security clearance shall be reviewed for better coordination in future,” he said.
