Two days after the police filed an FIR against Peerzada Ashiq, a Srinagar-based reporter with The Hindu, Ashiq tweeted on Wednesday, 22 April, saying, “Thanks for support. I am a responsible journalist, will not compromise with basic premise of journalism: speaking truth to power, sticking to facts (sic).”
He further added, “Stand by Gowhar, Masrat,” and used the hashtag #Journalismisnotacrime.
Two journalists working in Kashmir were booked for reportedly posting “anti-national” content on social media and publishing a “fake” news story, police said.
“A case has been registered against Masrat Zahra for uploading anti-national posts with criminal intention to induce the youth and promote offences against tranquillity,” a police official said.
In the second case, an FIR was registered against Ashiq over a story he had filed recently.
Summoned in 2 J&K Districts in 6 Hrs
Ashiq was summoned by the police on Sunday in two different districts of Kashmir within a span of six hours to explain his position regarding one of his news reports.
“An information was received on April 19 regarding a fake news item being published in ‘The Hindu' newspaper by the journalist namely Peer Zada Ashiq, regarding an encounter at Shopian and subsequent developments. The details reflected in the news item were found factually incorrect and the said news could cause fear or alarm in the minds of public,” police said in a statement.
“The said news was published without seeking confirmation from the district authorities. In this regard, an FIR was registered against the journalist in Anantnag,” it said.
The Editors Guild of India had also noted with shock and concern the high-handed manner in which the law enforcement agencies in Jammu and Kashmir used the prevailing laws to deal with two Srinagar-based journalists.
The grievance against Ashiq, their statement added, could have been taken up with his editor.
(With inputs from PTI)
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