Press Council of India constitutes committee to inquire harassment of journalists in Kashmir

The fact finding committee constituted by Press Council of India will look into allegations of intimidation of Kashmir journalists

The Press Council of India (PCI) has constituted a three-member fact finding committee to look into the allegations of intimidation and harassment of journalists in Jammu and Kashmir levelled by former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti.

In a letter addressed to the Press Council of India and Editors Guild, former CM and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said that raids were conducted at homes of several journalists in Kashmir earlier this month. (PTI)

PCI, while taking suo motu cognisance of Mufti’s letter, has asked Prakash Dubey, convener and group editor of Dainik Bhaskar, Gurbir Singh, a journalist from The New Indian Express, and Dr Suman Gupta, editor of Jan Morcha, to inquire into the matter.

In an order on Wednesday, PCI said that the fact finding committee will regulate its own procedure. “The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir are requested to extend full cooperation and assistance to this fact finding committee for the discharge of its function,” it said.

Mufti on Monday had written a letter to the Press Council of India and Editors Guild of India raising the issue of “systematic harassment” of journalists in Kashmir and urged the council to send a fact-finding team to J&K, to independently verify these claims and take remedial action.

In the letter titled “Intimidation, snooping and harassment of journalists in Jammu and Kashmir”, Mufti said that raids were conducted by the police at homes of several journalists in Kashmir earlier this month. She also tweeted a questionnaire seeking “personal and bizarre information”, which the journalists were being asked to fill by the administration.

“The committee is required to make a thorough probe into the matter holding discussions with the concerned authorities and the affected journalists and collect such information as it deems fit to submit its report to the council at the earliest,” the PCI order said.

Mufti took to Twitter to thank PCI for constituting the committee: “Thankful to the @PressCouncil_IN for their decision to constitute a fact finding committee to probe journalists being harassed in J&K. Hope the local administration ensures their full cooperation so that this committee can discharge its duty.”