New Delhi: With the state government banning newspapers in curfew-bound Kashmir, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Venkaiah Naidu on Monday night spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and sought details of the matter.
Mehbooba, however, told Naidu that there was no such ban from the state government on the publication of newspapers because of widespread protests in the Valley.
For the last couple of days, local newspapers in curfew-bound Kashmir have failed to hit the stands for the last three days after the government's alleged 'clampdown' on the media.
On Friday, there was report of raids at two printing presses in the valley by the Kashmir police. They seized newspaper and plates, reportedly without giving any valid reasons and documents.
Local news agencies had said they have stopped their news bulletins after police allegedly asked them not to issue those.
A statement of the newspaper editors, printers and publishers of Kashmir issued said they strongly "condemned" the alleged government action. The Editors Guild of India had also condemned the Jammu and Kashmir government for "unwarranted muzzling" of media in the state and termed as "unfortunate" the attempts "to shoot the messenger".
The unrest in Kashmir also resonated in Rajya Sabha on the opening day of the Monsoon session on Monday, with the House taking up urgent discussion during which the opposition slammed the government and pressed for holding an all-party meet while pitching for a political solution rather than using "barrel of the gun".
(With PTI inputs)
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