JAMMU: Jammu Kashmir National Conference legislator from Bijbehara, Bashir Ahmad Veeri, has voiced strong concern over the detention of journalists in Jammu and Kashmir, calling for an end to what he described as arbitrary arrests on flimsy grounds.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday, Veeri urged Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather to ensure that journalists are treated with dignity and granted the freedom to carry out their work without fear. He stressed that a free press is essential in a democratic society and that efforts should be made to protect journalists rather than suppress them.
Veeri pointed to a recent incident in Anantnag’s Rani Bagh, where chinar trees were illegally felled, triggering public outrage. He alleged that instead of acting against those responsible for the environmental violation, the district administration ordered the detention of journalists who reported on the matter.
Condemning such actions, Veeri called on the Speaker to intervene and ensure that journalists in Jammu and Kashmir can perform their duties without intimidation or wrongful arrests.
