Kashmir’s political parties and media groups on Wednesday condemned the government’s decision to book author and journalist Gowhar Geelani under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in Srinagar purportedly for “misuse of social media”.
A police spokesman said the Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone, had lodged an FIR after “receiving information through reliable sources that Mr. Geelani was indulging in unlawful activities through his posts and writings on the social media platform”.
“These posts were prejudicial to the national integrity, sovereignty and security of India. The unlawful activities include glorifying terrorism in Kashmir Valley, causing disaffection against the country and fear or alarm in the minds of public that may lead to commission of offences against public tranquillity and the security of state,” the police said.
The police have invoked the stringent Section 13 of the UAPA and Section 505(2) of the Indian Penal Code.
The FIR against Mr. Geelani is the third such case against a journalist in Kashmir in the past three days.
Mr. Geelani, author of ‘Kashmir: Rage and Reason’ said, “The charges framed are concocted and baseless. It is an attack on journalism. They want to silence journalists who report ground reality in Kashmir and the aim is to stifle free speech”.
Mr. Geelani said he would fight the case legally. “Anybody can allege anything. But it has be proven in the court of law,” he said.
Earlier, a female photojournalist was booked under the UAPA for posting pictures on social media. A reporter with The Hindu was also questioned recently.
The Kashmir Press Club (KPC) said it had noted the fresh development with “grave concern”.
“Geelani’s is the third such FIR in a row in last few days,” said a KPC spokesman. “We urge the authorities that they must withdraw the case against Mr. Geelani as well. A memorandum will also be written to the highest authorities including the Lt. Governor of the UT of J&K,” the spokesman added.
Condemning the police’s action, a spokesman of the Kashmir Working Journalists Association (KWJA) said, “The authorities in Kashmir are in no mood to allow democratic dissent or expression of opinion, and have adopted the policy of muzzling the press. Journalists will not succumb to these tactics.”
NC, PDP, PC condemn
Most regional parties, including the National Conference, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Peoples Conference (PC) condemned the police action against the journalists.
“No ifs, no buts, no whataboutery,” former chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah said. “This campaign of FIRs against journalists and commentators in Kashmir is wrong and must stop. If your version of events is so weak that you have to charge these people it says more about what is happening in Kashmir than anything they have written,” he added.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti said, “Absurd that filing FIRs and slapping anti-terror laws like UAPA against journalists is being done at breakneck speed even in the middle of a deadly pandemic. The end goal seems to monitor and suppress thoughts and feelings of Kashmiris to browbeat them into submission.”
PC spokesperson Adnan Ashraf Mir said invoking of UAPA charges “is a condemnable act”. “Shooting the messenger has never worked and will never work. The essence of democracy is defined by differing viewpoints. But a dangerous precedent is being be set by misusing national security laws to silence critical journalists covering sensitive issues.”
CPI (M) leader M.Y. Tarigami, while opposing the FIRs against journalists, said, “It is an unwarranted act intended to suppress media freedom”.
