Journalism ... Sickular gang ... National Security :::: Jammu and Kashmir police conduct raids at the Jammu office of 'Kashmir Times'

 The Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a much-publicised raid at the Jammu office of the Kashmir Times.  

(Mind you; Media's job is to present the readers with the truth. 

In the long run, the Truth is always the strongest weapon for solving conflicts. As reporters, media at best could be 'educators' but never peace activists. )

Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA)  claimed that it recovered “one revolver, 14 empty cases of AK-series weapon, three live AK rounds, four fired bullets, three grenade safety levers” and “three suspected pistol rounds” from their office.

The FIR further accused the newspaper of propagating content allegedly detrimental to the country's sovereignty and a threat to public law and order. 

Besides their office, a “parallel search” was also conducted at editor Prabodh Jamwal’s home in Jammu. 

(Paramilitary soldiers patrol near the Nowgam police station after an accidental explosion on the outskirts of Srinagar. -- Photo By 'Hindustan Times')

The news publication has faced scrutiny earlier as well. In 2020, the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory’s Estates Department shut down the 'Kashmir Times' office in Srinagar. 

By the end of 2021, the newspaper had transitioned entirely to a digital format. 

In its statement on Thursday night, the DIGIPUB presented Kashmir Times managing editor Anuradha Bhasin’s point of view, stating, among other things, that all the information about this raid first came to her from media reports, and the office raided by the SIA had been closed for the last four years. 

The statement also highlighted the position she took on how “the government is attempting to target, suppress, and eliminate voices that advocate peace, dialogue, and political processes as the path to building a terror-free Kashmir”.  

The J&K police said it has filed a case against the English daily, owned by Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal, for involvement in anti-national activities, attempts to spread disaffection against the country and peddling separatists' narrative. 

The Kashmir Times, established in 1954, is the oldest English-language daily newspaper from Jammu and Kashmir started by Anuradha Bhasin's father, Ved Bhasin.  

"The agencies are doing their work. If a raid has to be conducted, it should not be done on a pick-and-choose basis. If they have done anything wrong, action should be taken, but not just to create pressure. The Press is the fourth estate, and it should get space to practice journalism," Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary told reporters.

Youth Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party chief Aditya Gupta also criticised the raid, calling the 'Kashmir Times' newspaper the "boldest voice" of the Union Territory. 

In the global context; it is said that terrorism seeks to harness the power of media to spread messages, guided reporting on terrorism and violent extremism.

Subject matters like self-censorship, sensationalism or glorification and safeguarding journalistic principles and standards are also often debated.  Journalists often try to give themselves a role which is not just being the watchdogs. Analysts even in the context of militancy and ethnic clashes in India have said from time to time that Journalists are not peace activists.  

"The scourge of terrorism, whoever commits or sponsors it, must be thwarted wherever it strikes, its victims supported and honoured, and its perpetrators brought to justice. Media can cover these dimensions, and at the same time highlight genuine dialogue and discussion as alternatives to violence and bloodshed." -- a UNESCO paper says. 

There is need to take a closer look at Challenges in tackling terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir  

** Unlike traditional terrorists who are formally affiliated with terrorist organizations, hybrid terrorists are often unlisted, loosely connected, or self-radicalized individuals who carry out acts of terrorism while maintaining a low profile in society.

** Use of social media platforms to stir anti-India propaganda.

Evolving Technology: Terrorists use drones, encrypted apps, AI-generated propaganda, and advanced weaponry (often diverted from conflict zones like Afghanistan), complicating detection and response.

Changing Tactics: Terrorists have shifted from large-scale attacks to targeted killings and attacks on soft targets like tourists and minorities. 

Notably ... there is Intelligence Gap too. Fragmented coordination among central, state/UT, and local agencies often undermines timely responses.

Insurgency : A job provider in North East ?

Importance of :

De-radicalization Programs: 

Need to Scale up localized initiatives (e.g., education, sports, cultural integration) to counter extremist narratives and reduce youth vulnerability.

** Trust-building with local communities by winning of hearts and minds in terrorism-affected areas (e.g. Operation Sadbhavana) to disrupt terror networks with the help of local intelligence.

Media can play a crucial role both in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast India.

Need to prioritize job creation, infrastructure, and tourism promotion to address economic grievances and foster stability.

Ensure inclusive governance to address political alienation and restore democratic trust through conducting of free and fair elections.

In 2014 I interviewed Swedish journalist Bertil Lintner. 

He described himself as a journalist -- who is 'hated' and also 'admired a lot' by a lot of Nagas.  Bertil has expertise about the region following a long experience of working in difficult terrains of Myanmar and other South East Asian countries.

To a question, he had said - "As I see it, the duty of the journalists is to be as objective as possible. To give the news impartially without fear or favour regardless of sects or interests involved". 

He further added, "I was often appalled by the way in which Indian Nagas treated the Myanmar Nagas.

I had to write about that as well as religious fanaticism. The outcome was that the NSCN had banned my book 'Land of Jade'. The truth was probably too unpleasant...".

All these could be relevant to share in 2025. 

Blogger 

Pointers and Though Provocation 

"We are careful at Al-Jazeera not to label anyone a terrorist. After all, one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter. But the Egyptian prosecutor general sees things very differently. To him, journalism can be terrorism.

The charges levelled against me and my colleagues are an affront to every journalist who has reported accurately and independently from Egypt in recent times. We weren't there to promote one side or the other. We had no agenda. We just told it as we saw it." 

-- wrote Roy Greenslade (in The Guardian, 2014) 

Often journalists cover conflict areas 'without government accreditation or prior knowledge'. 

** The fact of the matter is while spies (in various countries) operate as journalists.

Some journalists too operate as "sources or informers" gong against ethics and could be at times helping extremists, terrorists or even enemy countries.

** Every time it may not be deliberate. They may be tricked or even pressurised.

However; getting 'official passes' too become increasingly difficult for genuine reporters.

Is not having accreditation a reason not to report an event or a story? 

Authorities these days are careful. Often countries like Egypt or Israel or someone else do not want more damaging headlines about journalists being imprisoned etc etc. 

But challenges have increased manifold as Delhi blast of Nov 10 has exposed the likely involvement of intellectuals, medicos and the so-called emergence of 'white collared' terrorism.

Overall, it's difficult times. 

ends