SRINAGAR – Indian government propaganda exposed by Kashmiri journalists inSrinagar with mass protest.
Dozens of journalists in the Indian-administered Kashmir have protested atwo-month-old “communications blackout” imposed by New Delhi authoritiesthat has badly affected their ability to work in the disputed Himalayanregion.
At least 160 journalists gathered Thursday inside the Kashmir Press Clubpremises in the main city of Srinagar to record their dissatisfaction withthe ongoing strict communications restrictions.
Carrying placards and wearing black badges, the angry protesters chantedslogans such as “End information clampdown”, “Stop criminalizingjournalists” and “Journalism is not a crime”.
The president of the Kashmir Press Club Shuja ul-Haq said journalists hadseveral times approached the Indian government for restoration of mobileand internet services for journalists in the valley.
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“They keep promising and say they are looking into it, but so far there hasbeen no action,” he said at the demonstration.
“We are protesting against the press gag that the fraternity has faced,”Haq added, noting, “Every journalist has suffered and we demand from thegovernment that the communications blackout be lifted.”
The internet and mobile phones have been cut in most of the Kashmir Valleysince early August when New Delhi scrapped the disputed region’s autonomy.