Srinagar: A day after the central government allegedly blocked the website and social media handles of Srinagar-based news portal 'The Kashmir Walla', its employees were seen vacating the office in Srinagar following an eviction notice, signifying yet another blow to journalistic activities in the valley.
Yashraj Sharma, the interim editor of The Kashmir Walla, posted a statement on Sunday that the website and social media handles of the news portal had been blocked in India by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) under the IT Act, 2000.
On Monday, the news portal's office located in Srinagar's Rajbagh area was also vacated. An employee of the portal said that the owner of the building which housed the portal's office had sent them an eviction notice. The development comes at a time when the founder-editor of 'The Kashmir Walla', Fahad Shah, is in jail for 18 months on terrorism charges. Sajad Gul, a trainee reporter with the portal, is also in prison since January 2022 under the Public Safety Act.
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Statement: When we contacted The Kashmir Walla's server provider to ask why https://t.co/zniqt5p3zU was inaccessible, they informed us that our website has been blocked in India by the MEITY under the IT Act, 2000. pic.twitter.com/3FOwFEJwVU
— yashraj sharma (@yashjournals) August 20, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">Statement: When we contacted The Kashmir Walla's server provider to ask why https://t.co/zniqt5p3zU was inaccessible, they informed us that our website has been blocked in India by the MEITY under the IT Act, 2000. pic.twitter.com/3FOwFEJwVU
— yashraj sharma (@yashjournals) August 20, 2023Statement: When we contacted The Kashmir Walla's server provider to ask why https://t.co/zniqt5p3zU was inaccessible, they informed us that our website has been blocked in India by the MEITY under the IT Act, 2000. pic.twitter.com/3FOwFEJwVU
— yashraj sharma (@yashjournals) August 20, 2023
In 2011, Fahad Shah started a blog under the same name 'The Kashmir Walla' and later registered it as a news website. Before starting the blog, Shah had also worked as an intern reporter for a leading English newspaper published in Kashmir. While vacating the office on Monday, the employees of the portal were moist-eyed as they had to bid adieu to the place during such difficult times for the organisation. A few employees were seen capturing memories of the news website's office on their cameras and some were worried about their future.
They refrained from talking to journalists but their silence spoke volumes. While Shah is currently in jail, the interim editor Sharma was seen repeatedly looking at The Kashmir Walla's statement released on Sunday. Archived newspapers, printer, signboard and pictures were being stored in a box but no one knew what to do next. Will people be able to read news on The Kashmirwalla website again? No one had an answer to this question.
"We know how we spent the last 18 months. It's been a nightmare for us. Our editor is in jail, our staff has been harassed constantly and now the office is being closed. What to do? Where to go? I don't understand anything," one of the employees said wishing anonymity. "Our office has been raided by the police several times. Most of our electronic devices have been confiscated. Our interim editor has also been summoned several times," the employee added.
Mehbooba Mufti, president of the People's Democratic Party on Sunday, issued her statement on the ban on The Kashmir Walla, saying, "What a shame. One of the few portals that dared to speak truth to power stands silenced. Fahad Shah continues to be incarcerated for his truthful reportage highlighting ground realities in Jammu and Kashmir. Only Godi media parroting GOIs narrative and propaganda is allowed to function and flourish."
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What a shame. One of the few portals that dared to speak truth to power stands silenced. Fahad Shah continues to be incarcerated for his truthful reportage highlighting ground realities in J&K. Only godi media parroting GOIs narrative & propaganda is allowed to function &… https://t.co/I1oELj9cSV
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 20, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
">What a shame. One of the few portals that dared to speak truth to power stands silenced. Fahad Shah continues to be incarcerated for his truthful reportage highlighting ground realities in J&K. Only godi media parroting GOIs narrative & propaganda is allowed to function &… https://t.co/I1oELj9cSV
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 20, 2023What a shame. One of the few portals that dared to speak truth to power stands silenced. Fahad Shah continues to be incarcerated for his truthful reportage highlighting ground realities in J&K. Only godi media parroting GOIs narrative & propaganda is allowed to function &… https://t.co/I1oELj9cSV
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 20, 2023
On Monday, she once again condemned the action on The Kashmir Walla during a press conference and said, "This is not only a matter of Kashmir Walla or Fahad Shah. Several media agencies don't get advertisements. There is only one media advisor of L-G, who is a private person, what authority does he have to decide who has to be given advertisements? They talk about the Constitution and also violate the Constitution. There is no law here. How will this work?"
