Srinagar, June 14: Senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari was remembered on his 4th death anniversary today.
Bukhari was shot dead by terrorists when he left his office at Press Enclave here in 2018. On his anniversary, journalists and people from different walks of life paid tributes to Bukhari.
In solidarity with Bukhari, a silent protest was held by a group of journalists and social activists on Tuesday at Press Enclave here.
They appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha that Residency Road should be renamed as Dr Shujaat Bukhari Road.
The protesting journalists also appealed to the LG for implementing insurance scheme for all working journalists in print and electronic media in J&K.
Social media was flooded with tweets and Facebook posts wherein the journalist fraternity remembered Bukhari. While remembering Shujaat Bukhari, senior journalists recalled their moments spent with late Shujaat Bukhari in J&K and abroad. Various political parties also paid tributes to him.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah paid glowing tributes to Bukhari.
“I take this opportunity to salute the valour of our journalistic community, who notwithstanding curbs and persecution have been rendering their duties with dedication. I take this opportunity to pay my tributes to all those journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty. On this day I particularly remember Shujaat Bukhari Sahib; the jinxed providence of our state robbed us from a bold voice in his shape, I pray for peace to his soul,” Dr Farooq said.
Omar Abdullah while paying tributes to Bukhari said, “I take this opportunity to pay my homage to Bukhari sahib. He was a brave son of the soil, on his fourth martyrdom anniversary I pay my glowing tributes to him.”
People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Lone paid tributes to Bukhari. In a Tweet, Lone said that “a great journalist was silenced for reflecting reality as it existed.”
“Remembering Shujat Bukhari and his sacrifice on his fourth martyrdom anniversary. A great journalist silenced for reflecting reality as it existed,” he tweeted.
Among others NC general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, Provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani, Chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, Dy Chief Spokesperson Dr Gagan Bhagat, State Spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, SM Incharge Sara Hayat Shah, Provincial Spokesperson Ifra Jan, additional spokespersons Yashvardhan, Zeeshan Rana have also paid glowing tributes to Bukhari.
Jammu and Kashmir Civil Society Forum chairman Abdul Qayoom Wani recalled the contributions of Bukhari to Kashmiri society.
“Death is an integral truth and every soul has to taste it but the departing of personalities like Dr Shujat Bukhari proved an immense loss to the society especially to the journalistic fraternity,” Wani in a statement said.
Meanwhile, netizens also remembered Late Shujaat Bukhari on his 4th death anniversary.
“Four agonising years of unending pain and suffering. Four struggling years of distress and unflinching ache. Four traumatic years of torment and anguish. Four years since you left this ephemeral world, since you were brutally snatched from us,” shared Syed Sibghat Geelani on her Facebook timeline.
“I feel numb as this fateful day approaches, it makes me feel hopeless and helpless. It chokes my breath as I remember that horrifying evening. The world is still there, we all are surviving, breathing, living but this too has been an act of courage,” reads her post.