'Coup' in Kashmir Press Club, Editors Guild questions role of police
The Editors Guild of India has said that the Editors Guild of India is shocked by the way a group of Kashmir journalists along with security forces have taken over the office and management of the Press Club.
The Kashmir Press Club was captured by a group of journalists on Saturday with the help of the police administration and took over its management. Earlier, the administration had also suspended the registration of Kashmir Press Club. There is a lot of anger among the journalists of Jammu and Kashmir. The Editors Guild of India has also criticized it and questioned the role of the police in this whole incident. After the suspension of the registration by the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the Kashmir Press Club has been forcibly occupied and locked. No journalist was allowed to enter the Press Club premises on Sunday.
On Saturday, a group of journalists along with security forces reached the Press Club and announced to take over its management. The new management claims that it has the support of all the members but journalists are denying it. Salim Pandit associated with the new management said that we have your, mine, everyone's support. Due to the delay in elections, we have taken over the day-to-day affairs of the Press Club. Give us time and we will do everything for the club. You are part of it. Tell me or not? I am not. On the other hand, the Editors Guild of India and the Mumbai Press Club have reacted strongly to this occupation of Kashmir Press Club.
The Editors Guild of India has said that the Editors Guild of India is shocked by the way a group of Kashmir journalists along with security forces have taken over the office and management of the Press Club. The Guild is equally concerned about the arbitrary suspension of the registration of the Kashmir Press Club. On Friday, the Jammu and Kashmir administration suspended the registration of the Kashmir Press Club saying that the CID of the Jammu and Kashmir Police has received an adverse report against the management.
About two weeks ago, the administration had renewed the registration of the Kashmir Press Club, but a day later, when the Press Club announced that its elections would be held on February 15, the registration was suspended. The elections for this largest organization of journalists in Kashmir have been pending for a long time due to the issue of renewal of registration. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir has told the hand of the state administration behind the capture of the Press Club. On the other hand, journalists are calling it part of the attack on the media in the Kashmir Valley.
Journalist Akash Hasan said on the development that it seemed as if he had come down with a large number of security forces in the premises of the Press Club. This is a possession done with the support of the state government. The Editors Guild of India says that it is shocked by the way a group of journalists in Kashmir along with the security forces have taken over the office and management of the Press Club. The Guild is equally concerned about the arbitrary suspension of registration of the Kashmir Press Club.