Jammu, Dec 21: Governor Satya Pal Malik Friday rapped the national media for “negative portrayal” of Kashmir, saying none of the achievements of the Valley were being highlighted by the fourth estate.
Drawing a parallel between his home state of Uttar Pradesh and the Valley, the Governor said no one knows about five to ten bodies lying in mortuaries daily in (UP), but a single incident of death in Kashmir becomes national headline.
“In Delhi, Kashmir is being demonised (by the media). Everything on Kashmir is shown in bad light. If there is one death taking place in Kashmir, it is national headline,” he said at a function here.
“The place, from where I come from, there are five to ten bodies lying in mortuaries daily. This is not known to the people of that city. But a single death in Kashmir becomes a national headline. Kashmir is being deliberately demonised, none of the achievements are highlighted,” he said.
Malik rapped the media for “ignoring” the positive stories from the Valley.
“Have you read any news about 1,000 doctors recruited in 40 days or about the peaceful polls with regard to the nine-phased panchayat polls and the municipal polls? The polling percentage was more than that of Punjab in the recent polls. There was no causality. None of the newspapers wrote about this positive aspect,” he said.
The Governor also lauded the youth for their achievements, especially in the field of sports.
“The football team has become number two in the league matches. There is no mention of that too (by media). None has mentioned that the day the Kashmir team had its match with the Mohun Bagan team, 27,000 youth had come to watch the match. It has not happened in 15 years. They were cheering even for the Mohun Bagan,” he said.
Expressing his dismay at the reportage on Kashmir, Malik said, “If you (media) get one small incident, it is blown out of proportion. I am disheartened by New Delhi (media)”.
The Governor said he knew nothing about the state and had first visited Jammu and Kashmir as a tourist many years ago.
“When I was sent here, I tried to understand the state through the opinions of the officials and advisors and later through the youth of J&K. I believe the future of the state lies in the hands of its youth,” he added.
