Srinagar, January 26 (KNO) : Media fraternity today boycotted the main republic day function at SK Stadium Sonwar after a few senior journalists were barred entry on the pretext that their verification report was adverse.
“We were surprised to see that despite having security passes issued by the police through information department, the security men having a list of journalists in hand barred my entry saying I have adverse verification report.
I am in this field since past 28 years and this has happened for the first time with me,” said Tawseef Mustafa, senior photojournalist with the Agence France-Presse (AFP). He said senior photojournalist Habib Naqash wasn't provided with the security card the reasons best known to the security agencies.
Angry over barring the senior journalists to cover R-day function, entire media fraternity boycotted the function. “The journalists should have informed me about the issue. They didn't," Deputy Commissioner (DC) Srinagar Syed Abid Rashid told KNO. He said he would have sorted out the issue on the spot.
Meanwhile, all the media fraternity assembled at the press club to chalk out the future course of action. The fraternity later staged a protest against the move and demanded authorities to come clear over the issue.
The media men marched from Kashmir Press Club to Ganta Ghar where from they were not allowed to proceed. The journalists later held a sit-in protest near Ganta Ghar here and demanded clarification from the administration in this regard. Meanwhile, divisional commissioner Kashmir Baseer Khan asked media fraternity to submit the memorandum to him. "I will seek a detailed report from IGP Kashmir SP Pani over the issue," he told KNO.