Blank editorials protest Bukhari killing in Valley

SRINAGAR: All major newspapers in Jammu and Kashmir, including English and vernacular dailies, on Tuesday carried blank editorials as a mark of protest against the drive-by killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari in Srinagar last week.

The editorial of English dailies such as Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Times, Kashmir Reader and Rising Kashmir, which Bukhari edited, were all blank.

Vernacular papers such as the Tamili Irshad and the Daily Aftab also did the same.

The collective decision was taken after the Kashmir Editors Guild (KEG) met on Monday evening after Eid, which was celebrated on Saturday.

“Editorial is the heart of a newspaper. Since our voices have been silent since the murder; we decided to show our protest,” said Shafat Kira, spokesperson of the KEG.

“There was a proposal of suspending publications for a day but newspapers are the voice of people , so we decided to publish without editorial to make our point,” he added.

Bukhari, 50, was murdered by three motorcycle-borne men who opened fire at him outside his office at press colony in Srinagar.

His two personal security officers were also killed in the attack.

The killing of Bukhari, who also edited papers like Buland Kashmir and Sangermal, sent shock waves across the country and triggered condemnations from across the political spectrum. The blank editorials came a day after a march on the streets of Srinagar against the murder on Monday.

Editors, correspondents, photojournalists and journalism students had walked hand-in-hand and with their mouths taped shut, in a protest against what they called an “assault on freedom of expression”.

“We want to send this message across that, whatever the circumstances, our freedom to express won’t be subdued by this murder. We won’t let this incident stop us from doing our work whatever the difficulties or fear. We have faced this situation before and even if there are more obstacles we won’t remain away from performing our professional duties,” said a protester.

“We have to talk about people, about truth and we will do that. Shujaat sahib has taught us this and we will not remain behind,” he said.

Editorial is the heart of a newspaper. Since our voices have been silent since the murder, we decided to show our protest. SHAFAT KIRA, KEG spokesperson