A representative image of Jammu and Kashmir police.
Credit: iStock Photo
Srinagar: At least two journalists from mainstream English dailies were summoned by Jammu and Kashmir police over their reports on the profiling of mosques and their management committees, the move leading to a massive debate with the Editors Guild and several political parties expressing their outrage.
The Indian Express and the Hindustan Times on Wednesday carried stories on their correspondents being summoned by the police’s cyber cell last week.
According to The Indian Express, its assistant editor Bashaarat Masood, who has covered the region for two decades, spent 15 hours over four days at the Cyber Police Station in Srinagar and was asked to sign a bond that he would do nothing to disturb peace. He did not do so.
The paper said Masood received the first call on January 14 asking him to be present at the Cyber Police Station the next day. He visited the station between January 15-19.
"His work over the last two decades speaks for itself," The Indian Express Chief Editor Raj Kamal Jha was quoted as saying. "The Indian Express is committed to doing what is necessary to uphold and protect the rights and dignity of its journalists," he said.
The Hindustan Times said in its report that its correspondent Ashiq Hussain also received oral summons but the newspaper asked for written summons “with reason” so it could respond.
There is also speculation that some other journalists were called to the Cyber Police Station but that could not be immediately confirmed.
Senior police officials did not comment on the matter.
Reacting sharply to the reports, the Editors Guild of India (EGi) said in a statement that it noted with “grave concern the continued repression of legitimate journalistic activity by the authorities in Kashmir”.
“In the latest instance, several journalists, including many affiliated with leading national media organisations, had been repeatedly summoned to Srinagar’s Cyber Crime Station by the police, where they were questioned about their routine news reports,” the Guild said.
It said arbitrary summons and police questioning of journalists, and bids to obtain affidavits under duress, are tantamount to coercion and intimidation of the media in pursuit of its legitimate duties.
It also called on police and other authorities to desist from actions restricting free speech and preventing the media from carrying out its core functions.
Several political parties also spoke out.
While the BJP said there was nothing wrong with the police action, the others did not agree.
“National interest is supreme," said Altaf Thakur, BJP’s chief in Kashmir.
According to National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar, however, the move was unacceptable in a democracy.
“This is intimidating and has no role in a democracy… Treating routine reporting as a matter for police scrutiny reflects a troubling misuse of state power and undermines constitutional guarantees,” he said.
The PDP agreed.
"Kashmir has been turned into Dante’s hell & anyone including journalists who highlight the government’s dehumanising illegal actions such as an Orwellian type surveillance of mosques & imams is summoned & threatened. Everyone here is safe only until we turn a blind eye to the oppression unleashed on a daily basis,” said PDP leader Iltija Mufti.
"A free and independent press is essential to democratic accountability. Intimidation of journalists, whether direct or indirect, is unacceptable. Journalism is not a crime," added Congress’ Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Naseer Hussain.
Peoples Conference president and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone described the summoning of the journalists as reprehensible.
"Why should the police intervene and summon journalists when they are doing a story based on facts. This is a new low," Lone said in his post on X.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir’s chief cleric, said media houses should support their reporters on this issue.
"First intrusive and arbitrary profiling of mosques, imams and seminaries is being carried out by the authorities in J&K and then journalists reporting on it are targeted and harassed. Forcing reporters into affidavits, undertakings and bonds at police stations is condemnable.
"Religious spaces are not surveillance targets, nor reporting facts a crime. Media houses should stand firmly behind their reporters. Free press needs to be protected," the Mirwaiz wrote on X.