'Coup' at Kashmir Press Club 1 Day After CID Reported Irregularities

While ex-CM Omar Abdullah called it a "state sponsored coup," the Editors Guild of India also expressed concerns.

An Indian Army soldier standing at the entry of the Kashmir Press Club. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@AakashHassan)

Escorted by the Indian armed forces, a group of journalists carried out a 'coup' at the Kashmir Press Club (KPC), which is the biggest organisation of journalists in the Kashmir Valley.

The event took place only a day after the registration of the KPC was suspended by the Jammu and Kashmir government due to illegalities reported by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the J&K police, NDTV reported.

The club had been recently reissued registration in late December last year but the J&K administration revoked it when the KPC announced it will hold elections for its members.

While former chief minister Omar Abdullah has called it a "state sponsored coup," the Editors Guild of India has also sent out a statement expressing it concerns.

"The Editors Guild of India is aghast at the manner in which the office and the management of Kashmir Press Club, the largest journalists' association in the Valley, was forcibly taken over by a group of journalists with the help of armed policemen on January 15, 2022," the statement said.

The statement further went on to talk about the erosion of press freedom in the valley, and about the arrest of a young journalist named Sajad Gul.

"This violation of the sanctity of the club by the police and the local administration is a manifestation of the continuing trend to smother press freedom in the state. Just recently, Sajad Gul, a young journalist was arrested for merely posting a video on social media, which showed a family protesting against the Indian government."

Additionally, the Press club of India demanded "that the democratic process of holding elections be allowed in a peaceful manner."

The interim body of the KPC led by Saleem Pandit, who also works with the Times of India, has rejected claims of a 'coup' taking place.

Talking to The Wire, he said that he is "a founding member of the club" and his only concern "that it should run smoothly."

"The government has refused to register them. We will get it registered and elections will follow in free and fair manner," he added, according to The Wire.

(With inputs from NDTV and The Wire.)