India: Announcements of Two Public Meetings on the Media Freedoms and Kashmir | 27 August 2019

Public Meeting on the issue of Kashmir and Media

Venue: Press Club of India

Date: Tuesday, 27 August, 2019

Time: From 3 pm.

Kashmir is indeed a big and complicated question that confronts us. However, what is an even bigger question is – What is happening in Kashmir today? For the past twenty days the telecommunication and internet services are down and no newspapers are being published. News agencies are not able to send news. The only news that is available is either from the government or the international news agencies, the facts given by whom have been denied by the government. Under the circumstances the country wants to know the actual ground situation in Kashmir. Without announcement of any kind emergency the reporters in Kashmir have been prevented from fulfilling their responsibility of reporting from the valley, as indeed, some of them have even been arrested. So much so, that the media personnel who accompanied the leaders of the national opposition parties were roughed up by the security personnel at Srinagar airport. This only goes to show that not everything is fine in Kashmir and that the government is preventing the real picture in the valley from coming out. Press Council of India had been constituted to uphold the neutrality and independence of journalism in India. However, under the prevailing circumstances its role has also come under shadow by acting as an organ of the government.

Under the circumstances, all institutions and organizations associated with journalism demand from the government it should immediately restore conditions in Jammu and Kashmir to facilitate gathering and relay of news by all media personnel; the restrictions on internet and telecommunications should be removed, and the journalists be permitted safe and independent travel to report on the ground situation in the state. In this context, on the call given by press association, the Press Club of India, Women’s Press Club, Editor’s Guild and other journalist organizations are organizing a meeting at the Press Club of India on Tuesday, 27 August 2019, in which apart from the representatives of these organizations many senior journalists shall express their views.

We request your presence at the meeting.

Organizers:

Press Association, Press Club of India, Women’s Press Club, and Editor’s Guild

o o o

PRESS CONFERENCE

CHENNAI JOURNALISTS/CITIZENS CALL ON PRESS COUNCIL OF INDIA TO WITHDRAW SC AFFIDAVIT AND SUPPORT CALL TO END MEDIA BLOCKADE IN KASHMIR

27 August, 2019. 3 pm.

Madras Reporters’ Guild, Omandurar Estate, Chennai

Speakers:
N. Ram, President, Alliance for Media Freedom
V. Geetha, Tamilnadu Women’s Coordination Committee
T.M.Krishna, Carnatic Singer & Others

Background Press Council of India, a body set up by the parliament for the express purpose of protecting press freedom in the country has done just the reverse. In an application it filed in the Supreme Court, it has justified the curbs placed on media access to and freedom of movement of journalists in Kashmir citing overriding concerns of national security. Rather the push for access to all parts of Kashmir and protection and safety of Media persons, the Council has made itself subservient to the ruling dispensation. This does not bode well for India.

Alliance for Media Freedom
Centre of Media Persons for Change
Tamilnadu Union of Journalists (affiliated to Indian Journalists Union)
Network of Women in Media, India (Chennai)
Tamilnadu Women’s Coordination Committee
Chennai Solidarity Group

Contact:
Peer Mohamed, Alliance for Media Freedom: 9884360505;
Nityanand Jayaraman, Chennai Solidarity Group: 9444082401