Srinagar, Nov 5: PDP leader Waheed Ur Rehman Para on Wednesday hit out at the Jammu and Kashmir government over what he described as the “selective revival” of media and social media gag policies, questioning the Chief Minister’s position on the latest directives issued to authenticate and monitor journalists and digital platforms in the region.
Sharing an image of an official document from the Office of the District Information Officer, Shopian, Para said the move to demand extensive personal, professional, and social media details from journalists under the guise of “authentication” contradicted the democratic promises made during the recent elections.
“The election in Jammu & Kashmir was fought to end silence, fear, and suffocation. People didn’t vote for control, they voted for dignity and the right to speak without fear,” Para wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
He pointed out that while the J&K administration was reintroducing measures to monitor and restrict online activity, no such orders were being issued elsewhere in India.
“Yet today, fresh orders to monitor and restrict social media are being issued selectively only in Jammu & Kashmir, nowhere else in India,” he said.
Questioning the role of the Chief Minister — who also holds the Information portfolio — Para demanded an official clarification on the policy.
“What is the Chief Minister’s stand on this? What does the CM, who also holds the Information portfolio, have to say?”
The PDP youth leader alleged that the government was using “vigilance and monitoring” as a pretext to intimidate journalists and suppress free expression, adding that such policies deepen mistrust between the state and its citizens.
“Using vigilance and monitoring as a pretext to intimidate journalists and police public expression exposes a deeply disturbing intent to control narratives, muzzle truth, and drag J&K further into surveillance,” he said.
Para urged the administration to respect transparency and openness rather than resorting to control and censorship.
“Jammu & Kashmir deserves openness, not oppression; transparency, not targeting. This election was fought to restore trust and dignity — not to replace one silence with another,” he added.
The new media authentication checklist circulated by the Shopian District Information Office requires journalists to furnish Aadhaar and PAN cards, appointment letters, salary statements, academic certificates, and links to all associated social media platforms — a move that has raised concerns among media professionals about state overreach and press freedom.
