Mehbooba Mufti Accuses Authorities of Silencing Press in Kashmir

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, Jan 22 : People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of creating a climate of fear for journalists. She claimed that over 200 Journalists have been summoned by police since 2019 and alleged discriminatory state policies towards the press.

Speaking to reporters, the former chief minister, as per Kashmir Convener, stated that she had hoped pressure on civilians would ease after the establishment of a new government. “Unfortunately, the situation has worsened. Even the most senior and respected journalists are now being called to police stations,” Mehbooba said. She cited a figure of 213 journalists summoned for questioning in the past six years.

Mehbooba also raised the issue of the erstwhile press club in Srinagar, alleging it had been effectively converted into a police facility. “During my tenure, land was allotted for a press club. That same place now functions more as a police station,” she claimed.

The PDP leader alleged selective allocation of government advertisements and accreditation to favour compliant media outlets. “These are given only to those newspapers and journalists who follow the official line and hide the truth. It is deeply regrettable. Those who try to convey the truth and the people’s concerns to the authorities are being harassed,” she said.

Mufti said that recent police notices have not spared journalists from major national publications. “This trend of summoning has started afresh in recent days. Whether it is The Indian Express, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, or others—all are being called,” she said.

Criticizing the current administration’s silence, she said, “The government here is completely mute on this. The media is vital, especially when Jammu and Kashmir has been made into a prison where no one is allowed to speak. Anyone speaking on social media is immediately arrested by security agencies.”

She defended local journalists, stating they risk their lives to report facts. “They highlighted issues like the profiling of imams and mosques and the lengthy forms being circulated. For merely reporting this, they were summoned, threatened, and forced to sign bonds. This is unacceptable,” Mufti asserted.

The PDP chief also targeted the National Conference-led administration, calling it a “complete failure” in raising public issues with the central government. “Unfortunately, the government is silent. The chief minister recently met the union home minister but did not raise the profiling of imams and mosques or the targeting of journalists,” she alleged.

Mufti warned of a deteriorating environment for free speech, stating that even media organizations had grown fearful. “More worrying is that the newspapers these journalists work for have also become afraid to talk. Only The Wire highlighted this matter. This is alarming. If we don’t speak up now, things will only get worse,” she said.

“There was hope that a new government would improve matters, but the opposite is happening. An NC government with 50 MLAs and members in Parliament sits in silence, acting as though it has nothing to do with the people,” she added.