Srinagar, Sept 21: The Kashmir based newspapers haven’t hit the stands since Eid-ul-Fitr following undeclared ban imposed by the Jammu and Kashmir government on their publication.
So far the state government hasn’t issued any clarification as to why the newspaper publication has been banned across the Valley, even though the decision evoked sharp reaction from different political and non-political quarters, including various media commissions.
Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Uzma had last hit the stands on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. Since then the stringent curfew imposed by the state government has kept journalists away from discharging their professional duties.
When the newspapers decided to publish the newspapers 2-days ago, police and paramilitary CRPF personnel beat up the staffers and disallowed newspaper distribution.
The Press Guild of Kashmir, an amalgam of Valley-based newspapers, recently suspended the publication of newspapers as a mark of protest against the government ban on them.
A Delhi-based channel recently quoted a policeman saying that they were instructed by the government not to allow movement of local journalists.
The Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his cabinet colleagues have so far maintained silence over the ban on media organizations.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 22 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST