Srinagar: The Estates Department today locked the office of Kashmir News Service at M-5/6, Govt. quarters Magarmal Bagh Srinagar.
“At around 11 AM, officials of Estates Department barged into the KNS office and directed the staffers to pack up their belongings hurriedly and locked the office,” KNS management said.
The management urged the authorities to explain on what grounds the office was locked-up without even serving a notice.
“KNS management strongly believes that LG Manoj Sinha will look into the matter and direct action against the officials who have tried to stop the media house from performing its duties,” a statement issued in this regard said.
Meanwhile, Jammu Kashmir Editors Forum has appealed to the government to allow smooth functioning of news agency KNS whose office was locked by the Estates Department without serving any notice on Thursday.
In a statement issued here, Spokesperson Jammu Kashmir Editors Forum said that a meeting was held in which the action on part of the Estates Department was vehemently condemned. The Forum sought intervention of LG Manoj Sinha in this regard.
The Forum threatened to hit roads in case the office of KNS is not unlocked and allowed to function smoothly.
While strongly condemning the action of Estates Department authorities to lock the office of Kashmir News Service (KNS) without any justification, CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami Thursday said that such acts have no justification and must be stopped.
“The KNS is a reputed news agency of Kashmir and has been over the years reporting the facts from the ground. The Estates Department authorities have not provided any reasons for locking the office. The KNC management has not been served any show-cause notice or allotment cancellation notice. Such action without any notice or justification is highly condemnable,” CPIM said in a statement issued here today.
The statement said that if the Estates Department has made allotments under the journalist category, why is it harassing the media persons now without any reason?
“Such tactics are an attempt to silence the media and ensure that nothing critical is written against the administration. This is open harassment,” added the statement.
