State run Information department stopping advertisements totwo Kashmir based dailies Greater Kashmirand Kashmir Reader without givingany reasons has shocked everyone.
Both the newspapers were not even told why theadvertisements have been stopped. This arbitrary decision of the Jammu andKashmir government has come at a time when elections are round the corner.
One fails tounderstand why government has decided to take the fourth estate head on.Nothing can be achieved by shooting the messenger.
Newspapers in Kashmir are just doing their job by makingpeople aware about the happenings around them. Media organizations cannot turna blind eye towards the developments neither can these outlets act as thespokespersons of the people at the helm. These organizations have to projectall the perspectives.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik should interveneand ensure that no one tries to control the media. People who believe thatcontrolling the media would help in improving the situation seem to be unawareabout the ground realities. They need to be told that social media hasrevolutionized the flow of information in today’s world.
Random flow of information has created serious problems forthe media outlets as people have started believing that whatever appears onsocial media is true. Instead of intimidating the genuine media outlets thegovernment should act against the unregistered platforms which have nostanding.
Greater Kashmir isthe leading daily of the Valley and has been in the business since nineties. Ithas maintained highest standards of journalism since its inception. It’sunfortunate that Kashmir’s leading daily is being muzzled for bringing truth tofore. Greater Kashmir during allthese years has emerged as a vibrant institution but choking its revenue meanshitting the families of the people who are associated with this institution. Isit that government wants to increase the unemployment level in the conflictridden Valley?
India is the largest democracy in the world but it seemsthat democracy in J&K is in danger as the freedom of expression is underthreat. One needs to remind the Governor’s administration that no emergency hasbeen imposed in J&K and freedom of expression can only be suspended duringthe emergency period only. Normalcycannot be restored by gagging the newspapers. It seems that government wants tosend a message to all the media houses in Kashmir that they have toe the linerather than showing the mirror to the rulers.
History stands testimony to the fact that till date nogovernment has achieved anything by imposing its writ. People who are rulingJammu and Kashmir at this point of time should realize that J&K is aconflict ridden state and it’s not easy for the journalists to work in ahostile atmosphere. Kashmir based mediaorganizations cannot afford to annoy anyone as these outlets are undertremendous pressure from all the sides.
It’s the media which makes the democracy vibrant and pointsout the flaws in the system. The media makes the people at the helm realizetheir mistakes and suggests the ways and means to improve the governance.Nothing will improve if the people at the helm start treating media outlets asthe extension of the government run Information department.
One cannot expect the newspapers to ignore the news and actas a puppet in the hands of the administrators. This attitude has to change ifdemocracy has to survive. Those who believe that intimidating media outletswould help in turning Kashmir into a paradise once again seem to have beenprovided wrong feedback. When NationalConference and Congress were ruling Jammu and Kashmir from 2009 to 2014 theyalso tried to control the media but their move backfired.
The incumbent Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has a vastpolitical experience. He is aware about the role of media. He has to step in todiffuse the crisis. He (Governor) cannot ignore the fact that he is the de facto head of the state in absence ofan elected government.
He needs to ask the people handling the Informationdepartment to explain why two important dailies in Kashmir are being starved.This ban on advertisements needs to be lifted without any further delay as thegovernment advertisements are the main source of income for the newspapers inJammu and Kashmir.
(The writer is a former Journalist & member of JK Youth Alliance)
Khalid Isaac
khalidpress@gmail.com