National Conference provincial president Jammu, Davinder Singh Rana on Sunday condemned Choudhary Lal Singh for threatening journalists from Kashmir. Lal Singh on Saturday had invoked the assassination of Shujaat Bukhari to threaten the Kashmiri journalists, alleging they created a “wrong narrative about the Kathua rape-and-murder case”.
“It’s an unfortunate comment from somebody who is senior leader of BJP. Highly condemnably and National Conference has already issued a statement over this,” Rana said. “He (Lal Singh) is an opportunist loose cannon talking like this for his own benefit. His unfortunate utterance is more out of frustration from being out of power.”
Rana said Bhukhari’s assassination is a blot and what Singh said is unfortunate. “Today its Mr A and tomorrow it may be Mr B and it should be a concern for us,” he said. “Media persons in Jammu and Kashmir are working under very difficult circumstance from the last 20-25 years. It’s easier said than done. Whether covering Line of Control, International Border or the valley, they working under different mental, physiological, physical pressure and I think it’s the duty of all, particularly the government to protect them, preserve them and allow them to have an ecosystem where they can write and express themselves independently,” he said. “Any type of intimidation is absolutely not acceptable.”