Several journalists from various media organisations on Tuesday protested in Srinagar against the continued suspension of internet services in Jammu and Kashmir. The protestors called for the immediate restoration of the services so that they are able to perform their professional duties, PTI reported.
“We took out a protest against the suspension of internet services for 100 days now,” said senior journalist Pervez Bukhari. “Internet is a basic tool for journalists to discharge their professional duties and we demand its immediate restoration.”
The journalists assembled at the Kashmir Press Club in Srinagar before they began their protest march.
On August 5, the central government had decided to revoke the erstwhile state’s special constitutional status and split the region into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. They came into existence on October 31.
Postpaid mobile connections were restored in the Valley on October 14 – 72 days after they were cut off. Pre-paid phones and all internet services are still suspended since August 5.
The government had set up a “Media Facilitation Centre” for journalists at a conference hall of a hotel. However, media persons have complained that it lacked sufficient computers and that they had to wait for several hours to work.
On the 60th day of the restrictions early in October, more than 100 journalists had launched a silent sit-in protest against the communication blockade. They had gathered at the Kashmir Press Club wearing black badges and carrying banners that read: “End information clampdown”, “Stop criminalising journalists”, and “Journalism is not a crime”.
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