Jammu, Nov 20: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Singh Choudhary on Thursday reacted to the State Investigation Agency’s raid on the Kashmir Times office, saying action should follow only in cases where wrongdoing is established and not for the sake of pressure.
The SIA on Thursday raided the Kashmir Times office in Jammu in connection with a case registered against the publication for allegedly glorifying activities “against the country,” officials said.
During the raid, it recovered cartridges of AK rifles, some rounds of pistol and hand grenade pins, among other items, according to SIA officials.
“If they have done something wrong, then action should be taken. If they have done wrong, they will face the consequences. But it should not be done just to pressurise. If you do it only to pressurise, then that will be wrong”, Choudhary told reporters here.
“Journalism should get an open environment. It is the fourth pillar of democracy. They should be given a chance so that they can keep their voice strong. If someone is publishing the truth, they should not be pressured,” said Choudhary, who was reviewing the progress of the work on the fourth bridge in Jammu on the spot with officials.
Referring to the SIA action, he said he would not comment on the functioning of the agencies’ investigations but stressed the need for uniform standards. “If you want to conduct raids, then carry out raids on everyone. Do not pick and choose,” he said.
Pointing to another major newspaper in Jammu, he added, “There is a very big newspaper here. It also publishes news, so look at that as well. Where does it get such big advertisements? Where does it get so much money to run the paper? If actions are to be taken, they should be taken against everyone. That paper also considers itself the biggest.”
