Srinagar, Mar 14: National Conference (NC) Monday said the findings of the fact-finding committee (FFC) of the Press Council of India (PCI) on press freedom in Kashmir was a telling indictment of the way incumbent administration was handling the press and added that the report had confirmed NC’s standpoint.
A statement of NC issued here said that appreciating the FFC’s findings, NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said that the report lays bare how the news media in J&K, and especially in Kashmir was slowly being choked mainly because of the extensive curbs imposed by the local administration.
“We have been registering our concern over the rising curbs on the freedom of the press in Kashmir for all these years. The FCC’s findings have exposed the J&K administration’s handling of the press. Silencing voices critical of the administration describe the new normal in J&K, particularly Kashmir. The gags have monopolised the flow of information in J&K,” he said.
Sadiq said that enforcing curbs on the media and press fraternity, both implicitly and explicitly, had pushed various local dailies to stop their coverage of various issues of public importance to refrain from offending the authorities.
He said that the FFC had done a commendable job by showing a mirror to the government.
“We in our party hope that these findings will put liberal, and democratic forces across the country in the picture about the ground realities of J&K,” Sadiq said.
He implored the PCI to mount pressure on the government to release all confined journalists and work towards creating an enabling environment where the press could work in a free and fair manner.