Days after Jammu Kashmir Police issued an order banning the ‘live’ coverage of encounters between the Government forces and militants, various journalists alleged that they were stopping from covering the encounters that raged in South Kashmir’s Shopian and Anantnag districts.
Speaking to The Kashmiriyat over the phone, a journalist who wished to maintain anonymity said that a group of journalists was barred from covering the encounter that raged on Saturday evening in the Semthan area of Bijbehara in Anantnag district.
“An official came and warned us to not come close to the site of the encounter, he asked to not do any coverage and said if the law (ban on live coverage) is not followed, legal action would be initiated against the journalists found in contravention with the law,” he said, adding, “post the warning we left the site of the encounter.”
Similarly, journalists who reached Shopian to cover the encounter that raged in the orchards of the Satrajan area said that a group of journalists was stopped from covering the encounter. “we were not allowed to carry on our professional duties,” a journalist told The Kashmiriyat.
The inspector General of Jammu Kashmir Police during a press conference on Friday said that the step was taken to ensure the protection of Journalists and the Government Force personnel deployed in an Anti-Militancy operation. “The Security Forces get distracted and there are stray bullets flying everywhere, we do not want our journalists to be injured or hit with the bullets,” Mr. Vijay Kumar, the Inspector General of Police had said.
The media fraternity has condemning the move said that reporters or camerapersons only discharge their professional duty while covering encounters.
Mr. Farooq Javed Khan, president of the Kashmir Photographers’ Association, said: “First of all, we have to verify if the statement attributed to the IGP in identical reports circulated by local news agencies is really his. And if he has used the phrase ‘don’t interfere’, then we would say it is obnoxious and, therefore, unacceptable.”
“While covering encounters and law and order situations we strictly follow the rulebook and never exceed our brief. If we are not allowed to discharge our professional responsibility, then what are we there for?” He added.
Prominent journalists from the Kashmir valley have denouned the move. Senior Journalist Yusuf Jameel took to twitter and wrote, “‘Not to interfere’ is a too bad rather loaded phrase used there. Journalists don’t “interfere” in security forces’ operations whether during their anti-militancy pursuits or while containing law and order situations but cover them to discharge their professional responsibility.”
'Not to interfere' is a too bad rather loaded phrase used there. Journalists don't "interfere" in security forces' operations whether during their anti-militancy pursuits or while containing law and order situations but cover them to discharge their professional responsibility.
— YusufJameelیوسف جمیل (@jameelyusuf) April 7, 2021
Peerzada Fahad Shah, the editor of Srinagar-based, Kashmir walla wrote, “Censorship. I can’t mince words to explain it. It doesn’t only talk about live coverage but also anything “which promotes anti-national sentiment”. Vague terminology that’ll be misused. Kashmiri journalist bodies didn’t fight media policy, so now this.”
Censorship. I can't mince words to explain it. It doesn't only talk about live coverage but also anything "which promotes anti-national sentiment". Vague terminology that'll be misused. Kashmiri journalist bodies didn't fight media policy, so now this.
https://t.co/Sp0wZTmso8— Fahad Shah (@pzfahad) April 7, 2021
The Inspector general of Police in his statement had said, “No operational content should be carried which is likely to incite violence or contains anything against the maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national sentiment.”