Kashmir Editors Guild condemns BJP leader's 'threat' remarks

Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) on Saturday condemned the statement of former Minister and BJP leader Choudhary Lal Singh who, a day ago, said Kashmiri journalists must be aware of their conduct after the killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari.

"Invoking the brutal assassination of senior editor Shujaat Bukhari, Singh has suggested to the Kashmir media to draw a line and to decide if they have to work the way he (Bukhari) was working. Singh has moved way ahead and issued a direct threat to the media in Kashmir," the KEG said in a statement.

The editors' body further said: "Lal Singh has accused the Kashmir media of creating a wrong atmosphere."

The KEG said Lal Singh had invoked Shujaat Bukhari's murder at a time when police in Srinagar was investigating the case and that his statement indicated that he holds some information about the murder which must be investigated.

Lal Singh, who resigned from the cabinet in April following his participation in a rally organised by the Hindu Ekta Manch in January in support of those accused of rape and murder of a young girl in Kathua, made the remarks in a presser on Friday.

The Guild said they reserved the right to lodge a police case against the lawmaker who had earlier named a number of reporters for his "fall from grace in wake of the Kathua probe".

--IANS

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