SRINAGAR: The Budgam Working Journalist Association staged a protest on Tuesday against the comments made by District Development Council Chairman Nazir Ahmad Khan.
According to the news agency KNO, Khan posted on his official Facebook page, “One TV reporter is a thousand times more dangerous than a terrorist.” The remarks faced strong backlash from journalists and others.
Expressing strong resentment, journalists stated that while it’s common for them to serve as the voice of authority, comparing journalists to terrorists is disrespectful and unacceptable.
They urged the DDC Chairman of Budgam to recognise the fundamental differences between journalism and terrorism, and stressed the importance of upholding the standards of the media industry.
Protesting in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Budgam, the media personnel sought clarification from Khan.
One of the protesting journalists stated, “We have presented our concerns to DC and SSP Budgam. We demand that DDC Nazir Ahmad publicly apologise for his comments that have offended the media community.”
Meanwhile, Khan has deleted his post.
Efforts to reach the DDC Chairman for comments were unsuccessful as his phone was switched off.
Meanwhile, Sameer Ahmad Shah, the BJP district president of Budgam, strongly condemned Khan’s “immature” words.
Shah emphasised that as a responsible figure, the DDC Chairman should apologize to the media community.
He called for the personal intervention of DC Budgam, Akshay Labroo, in the matter. (KNO)
