Srinagar: Demanding immediate rollback of the new media policy, a group of journalists on Monday staged a protest demonstration at the Press Enclave here today.
The journalists who had assembled at the Press Enclave under the banner of “J&K Media Guild” were carrying banners that read: “don’t gag media, we are an equally important pillar of democracy”, and “down with media policy 2020” etc.
Meanwhile Apni Party leader Ghulam Hassan Mir on Monday demanded immediate rollback of the new media policy in Jammu and Kashmir. Mir, a former minister, urged the Union territory administration to review the new media policy in consultation with representatives of the print, online and electronic media outlets in Jammu and Kashmir.
He expressed concern over the plight of the media industry in the Union territory which has been battling for survival in the prevailing circumstances.
CPI (M) leader and former MLA M Y Tarigami also called for roll back of the media policy.
Tarigami said the new media policy was an attempt to throttle the freedom of speech.
“The new media policy has spread unease amongst the journalists working in the region as it is aimed at gagging their voice in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said in a statement.
He said the framers of this policy have given a clear picture that they don’t want journalists answerable to their readers and editors, but to bureaucrats and security officials, who will have the powers to decide which news item is “fake, unethical, plagiarised” or “anti-national”.
“The policy has been framed with an aim to give the government a free hand to muzzle freedom of press,” he added.
While assuring the journalistic fraternity of his full support over the issue, Tarigami urged the government to immediately roll back the new media policy.
