SRINAGAR Condemning state government for banning thirty TV channels, AIP president Er. Rasheed has said that the decision is unfortunate and speaks volumes about how the situation is being polarised by none other than government itself.
In a statement issued today Rasheed said: The ban on telecast of many TV channels is an attack on freedom of expression and ample proof that government is short of ideas as to how to deal with the situation.
In fact the security agencies are seeing the whole developments through the prism of law and order forgetting that their cosmetic measures will yield nothing except making people feel pushed to the wall. Imposing martial law against a particular thought and a particular community is horrible and such measures are bound to fail, Rasheed said.
Government has already imposed ban on many local TV channels in Kashmir and now even those channels which are purely telecasting religious programs are being banned. It seems that Govt. is bent on maligning the image of the majority community and thus want to avoid all discussions and debates on Jammu & Kashmir dispute. If Government is truly aware and concerned about hatred being spread by social and electronic media then one has a right to ask the administration that why doesnt it ban those so called national TV channels which spread venom against Kashmiris and create communal divide every evening.
Er Rasheed condemned banning of a News Portal for publishing Hizbul Mujahideen commonder Manan Wanis write up and said that lodging FIR against the News portal makes it evident that state craft has neither understanding of issues nor does it want healthy debates ad discussions which are otherwise important to make an environment for the resolution of the issues. Er. Rasheed said One has every right to differ with what Manan Wani believes in or writes about his ideology and views but those calling militants, Pakistani agents and miscreants should have collected courage to present the counter the argument, if at all it had one, to prove Wani, who like many highly qualified scholars preferred to join the armed struggle after losing the hope in system and politicians, wrong.
Er. Rasheed also appealed the governor administration to reconsider its decision of appointing Mr. A K Sahani as additional advocate general and said that since Mr. Sahani has been defending the culprits involved in Asifa Rape and murder case, Govt. had no moral authority to appoint him as add advocate general.
Hurriyat (M) Flays New Diktat For Cable Operators
Hurriyat Conference (M) has expressed serious concern and resentment over the alleged manhandling of dozens of villagers and vandalizing of property in Mochuwara village of south Kashmirs Shopian district during the nocturnal raid terming it as the ultimate highhandedness and highly undemocratic act that deserves all forms of condemnations.
A Hurriyat (M) spokesperson said, The act of ruthless beating in Shopian comes barely after 12 hours after the assurances gives by top police and army officers claiming that people in south Kashmir would see a more humane face of forces from now onwards.
He said it is because of the fact that forces operating in Kashmir lack accountability which raises their morale to commit gross human rights violations as they know that they are laced with the draconian AFSPA where none can punish them for the serious crimes they commit.
Beating people, vandalizing properties and torturing youth has become an everyday affair of government forces in Kashmir, especially in south Kashmir, he said.
The spokesperson strongly denounced the forces action in Newa Pulwama, where dozens of youth were allegedly showered with lethal pellets leaving many of them seriously injured.
Hurriyat (M) also castigated the government for imposing a ban on the transmission of 30 channels operating through cable and said this diktat issued to cable operators is nothing but a move to block information and keep people of Kashmir away from the day to day happenings across the globe.
It is surprising to see that even religious and sports channels have been banned and one would ask as to how such channels can pose a threat to peace in Kashmir. In the present times of globalisation and in the age of technology and social media, such gags and bans to block information are bound to fail and only reflects the myopic and dictatorial approach of the authorities, the spokesperson said.
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