Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


Evictions Are Latest Obstacle for Kashmir's Embattled Press

Bilal Hussain

   SRINAGAR - In its 66-year history, the Kashmir Times has weathered many
   attempts to block its reporting: pressure by militants, withdrawal of
   state advertising, even people setting fire to stacks of the paper in
   the street. Its latest hurdle: eviction from the newspaper's Srinagar
   offices

   Authorities in the Indian-controlled region of Jammu and Kashmir this
   month ordered staff to vacate the premises and sealed the Kashmir Times
   office. A few days earlier, they sealed the Srinagar offices of the
   Kashmir News Service (KNS) news agency.

   Both were in a district of Srinagar where the government provides
   building space for low rent to news outlets in an otherwise expensive
   area.

   Moazum Mohammad, vice president of the Kashmir Press Club, said sealing
   the two news offices "without serving them eviction notice" is the
   latest in a series of indiscriminate actions against the region's
   journalists.

   Chilling effect

   Former Kashmir Times journalist Syed Ali Safvi said he believed the
   action would make other outlets think twice before publishing reports
   that are critical of the Indian government.

   The frequency of attacks on and harassment of Kashmir's media has
   increased since last August, Mohammad said. In 2019, India's Prime
   Minister Narendra Modi revoked Article 370, which granted rights to
   Jammu and Kashmir -- India's only Muslim-majority state-- including its
   own constitution.

   Kashmir is claimed in full by India and Pakistan, which have gone to
   war twice over it, and each rules part of it. India's portion has been
   hit by separatist violence since the late 1980s.

   In revoking Article 370, Modi said Pakistan had used the region's
   special status "as a weapon to incite people of the region against
   India."

   Since the change in status, [1]more than a dozen journalists have been
   summoned by police,the government imposed an [2]advertising ban on the
   independent daily Kashmir Reader,and authorities have repeatedly
   extended orders blocking high-speed internet. The [3]latest, issued
   October 21,extends the ban to November 12.

   The Indian government cites misuse of data service by "anti-national
   elements" and says the ban is there to protect public order.

   Local journalists have said they believe the bans are a deliberate
   attempt to prevent reporting from Kashmir.

References

   1. https://theprint.in/india/kashmir-times-is-latest-media-in-jk-has-been-gasping-for-breath-since-article-370-move/527616/
   2. https://thewire.in/media/kashmir-media-ad-ban-blank-front-pages
   3. http://jkhome.nic.in/114(TSTS)of2020.pdf

.