Rashid said the “colonial” attitude of Indian state got exposed when it allowed the selective TV channels to put a “manufactured” version of the story from various parts of valley but forced the local print media to stop their publications. “It indicates that the government has not changed its press emergency”, the statement said. “Government must own the ban and issue a statement guaranteeing that media operations are not being hampered from the movement of staff, to news gathering, printing and the distribution of the newspapers”, Hussain said.
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Mehbooba Mufti’s political advisor Amitabh Mattoo, after the Monday meeting, telephoned nearly all the Srinagar-based newspaper editors and publishers, “apologizing” and asking them to resume publications. “There was some miscommunication”, he said. “We have not taken any decision on it”.
The largest street protests in recent years in India’s portion of Kashmir erupted last week after Indian troops killed the popular young leader of the largest rebel group fighting against Indian rule in the region.
On 12 consecutive day, Kashmir remains caged and crippled as authorities continue to impose curfew while separatists have called for shutdown on Wednesday.
They alleged their printed copies, master copies besides the other printing material was seized during Friday-Saturday midnight and the message of ban was conveyed through Government spokesman Naeem Akhtar, who is Cabinet Minister.
Police began raiding newspaper offices and seizing tens of thousands of local newspapers on July 16, imposing a ban on their printing until July 18. The detained workers have since been freed.
With regard to prohibitions on newspapers and mobile internet in Kashmir, he said it should not happen and that he will discuss this issue too with the Chief Minister.
Hussain, the journalist, told AP earlier that the communication and information blockade was powering rumors. “We had a healing touch policy towards people but this government makes no difference between treating common people and militants”, he said. “It doesn’t help anyone”, he said.
Three civilian protesters, including two women, were killed on Monday in army firing when protesters attacked an army patrol party.
Even as the death toll in Kashmir violence climbed to 44 with the killing of three civilians on Monday, the Army and the police ordered an inquiry into the “excessive” use of force in two separate cases of firing. Officials said that 2,176 civilians and 1,500 police and paramilitary personnel have been wounded in the clashes, which have not shown any let up during the past 11 days.
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He questioned how Pakistan could claim to be concerned about Muslims in India when it itself could not remain united despite being a Muslim nation.
