Half year gone, Kashmir still remains under lockdown

On August 5, the Centre abrogated Article 370 and suspended mobile and internet services the night before. File pic/AFP

Srinagar: One room, eight computers, six months and many dozens queuing up to send the Kashmir word out to the world. That's been the arithmetic of journalism in troubled times for media in the Valley since August.

On August 5, the Centre revoked J&K's special status under Article 370 and bifurcated it into the union territories of Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh. The night before, mobiles and internet services were suspended. It has been six months to the day, but the communications lockdown is near total still. Some local media houses can access internet lease lines, but it is an expensive affair with only two or three newspapers opting for it. The problem of many journalists and too few computers continues.

The result: all roads for journalists lead to the media room next to Polo Ground on Maulana Azad Road. A policeman, equipped with a hand-held body scanner, greets journalists at the entrance. They have to enter their details in a register and then access the room that opens at 10 am and shuts at 9 pm.

"The situation has eased somewhat after internet lease lines were opened for local newspapers and the rush has come down since January 27 but our problems persist," said a senior journalist.

Though journalists admit there has been an improvement in their working conditions, normalcy is still a far cry.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, several local activists, trade leaders and politicians were detained. Among the prominent leaders who are still under detention are National Conference's Farooq and Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Parliament on Tuesday passed a resolution expressing "unflinching and unwavering support" to the Kashmiri people and demanding India to reverse its decision on Article 370.

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