Newspapers run blank front pages in Kashmir to protest 'denial' of govt ads to two dailies
Srinagar: Most of the leading dailies in the Kashmir valley printed a blank front page on Sunday as a mark of protest against the "unexplained denial" of advertisements to two newspapers by the Jammu and Kashmir government.
The Kashmir Editors' Guild (KEG) had claimed last month that the state government had stopped giving advertisements to two major local dailies -- Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Reader.
"With utmost regret, the Kashmir Editors' Guild wishes to inform that the Jammu and Kashmir government has stopped state government advertisements to two major daily newspapers -- Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Reader," it had said in a statement, adding that the decision was neither conveyed formally nor was any reason detailed to the respective publications.
As a mark of protest, the leading dailies here -- both English and Urdu -- printed a blank front page on Sunday.
The front pages of these newspapers only carried a message from the KEG -- "In protest against the unexplained denial of government advertisements to Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Reader."
A spokesperson of the KEG said the guild and the Kashmir Editors' Forum had on Saturday taken the decision to print a blank front page against the government's move "to scuttle" the media in Kashmir.
He added that the guild would also hold a protest at the Press Club here on Sunday afternoon against the government decision.
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Bengal: Hundreds stage protest over 'threats' by TMC workers
Kolkata (PTI): Demanding safety after counting of votes, hundreds of villagers staged a protest in Falta in West Bengal's South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, alleging they were receiving life threats from TMC workers in the area.
The protesters, many of them women and holding BJP flags, blocked the road in Hasimnagar village, alleging that local panchayat pradhan Israfil, a close associate of TMC candidate Jehangir Khan, issued them threats of attacks after poll results are announced.
The CRPF deputy commandant visited the area with a large force and assured the demonstrators of ensuring their safety.
Khan dismissed the allegations and said the women were "deployed" by the BJP to stage the demonstration and engineer the arrest of TMC functionaries in the area before the counting to "harm the morale of the TMC supporters".
"If the charges are proved, I am ready to face the law," he said.
Fatima Bibi, one of the protesters belonging to the BJP's Mahila Morcha, claimed Israfil and his men "have been visiting the area since April 30 and threatening us that there would be bloodshed from May 5. We demand CRPF remain in the area".
The CRPF official said, "We are here to instill confidence among the people with support of the local police, We have assured them of full security."
An Election Commission official said a report has been sought about the protests from the district administration.
