Srinagar: The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia said it is deeply concerned about the government shutting down Kashmir Press Club.
“The journalists of the region already work under immense pressure and threats. Closing one of the most important places of community support for Kashmiri journalists could make their work more difficult, and reduce the free flow of information, which is essential for a democracy,” it said in a statement.
The Chennai Press Club in a statement condemned the arbitrary and forcible takeover of the Kashmir Press Club by a group of journalists with the help of the police and the administration on January 15.
“The alleged’ re-registration ‘of the Kashmir Press Club by a group of journalists supportive of the administration is nothing but a deliberate act to derail the democratic process of holding elections,” it said.
“What is shocking is the role of the police in entering the premises of the Kashmir Press Club without a warrant and violating the due process of law in aiding and abetting the arbitrary takeover of the Kashmir Press Club,” it added.
The Chennai Club sought immediate intervention of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to issue appropriate directions to the Lieutenant-Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to look into this issue and restore the status quo.
The Chennai Press Club also demands that the democratic process of holding elections to the Kashmir Press Club should be allowed to proceed as per schedule in an amicable manner.
“The Chennai Press Club expresses its deep concern over the shocking development in the valley and similar attempts by anti-social elements to illegally take over the functioning of Press Clubs and derail institutions,” it added.
Indian Journalists Union (IJU) said it the government’s shutting down largest body of journalists in the region has left the fraternity of journalists across the country shocked and the Indian Journalists Union (IJU) is very much anguished over the development.
After bifurcation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir, the region has been experiencing erosion of free space in almost all spears and the latest instance of the closure of Kashmir Press Club is the most ominous. At a time when journalists in the region are feeling suffocated, closure of the only body which can raise voice on behalf of them does not augur well for the administration in its efforts to win over the public,” it said in a statement.
The IJU requested LG Manoj Sinha to order immediate restoration of the Kashmir Press Club which will go a long way not only in safeguarding the media freedom but also in maintaining harmony in the region.
The Puducherry Print and TV Journalists Association on Wednesday condemned what it called as coercive the take-over of the Kashmir Press Club by a group of journalists with the alleged assistance of the police and the administration on January 15.
R K Raja, the president of association, said in a press release that the re-registration of the Club by the group of journalists with the support of the administration is a conscious effort to crush the democratic course of holding elections to the club.
Raja said what was stunning was the alleged audacity of the police to enter the premises of the Club without a warrant and in utter disregard of the law helping and abetting a self-assertive group to take over the press club.
The association appealed to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah to issue instructions to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha to investigate and restore the norms. The democratic process of elections to the Club should be ensured and the administration should ensure a tranquil atmosphere for the fairly chosen body to function, Raja said.
On Tuesday, political parties asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to restore the Kashmir Press Club premises to the journalists’ body, and provide an enabling atmosphere for holding free and fair elections to the Club.
On Monday, the J&K administration said the Club has ceased to exist, and took back the premises allotted to the largest journalists’ body in the Valley following alleged dissensions between two factions, one of which had tacit support from the government.

  Kashmir 370

KR Desk