Terming New Advertisement Policy – 2016 as irrational, illogical, discriminatory and in violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India, Jammu and Kashmir Press Association (JKPA) alleged that the policy was aimed at buttressing and encouraging a few publishers while suffocating the small scale media houses in the state.
Meanwhile, JKPA president Ghulam Hassam Kaloo reiterated the demand to revoke or amend the policy to end alleged lop-sided distribution of advertisements by the Information Department.
“Now with the promulgation of New Advertisement Policy – 2016, the officials of State Information Department have been resorting to arm-twisting and discriminatory role which has pushed the Publishers of Small Scale Newspapers to the brink of closure of their establishments,” Kaloo alleged.
He said in view of such an alarming situation, a delegation of JKPA met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on March 8, 2017 and submitted a Memorandum which contained demands calling for revocation of the controversial policy.
“Alternatively several amendments to the said policy were suggested and urged to end lop-sided distribution of advertisements by the Information Department. It was also pointed out that Labour Laws are not applicable to small-scale newspapers and the cost of advertisements published in national dailies should not be loaded on the Budget Provisions earmarked for the Information Department,” he said.
He said the Chief Minister agreed in principle and promised to consider all the demands. But Kaloo alleged that the officials of the State Information Department are hell-bent to go ahead with their hidden agenda.
“Information Department was established by the State government to give wide publicity to its activities through Print and Electronic Media but it is disheartening to observe that the officials of ID have ignored their mandate. Instead of acting as a bridge between the government and the Media, its officials seem to be determined to widen the gap between the two,” he said.
Kaloo said they (Information Department officials) have intriguingly chosen to buttress and encourage a few Publishers and suffocate the majority.
“Such a policy is irrational, illogical, discriminatory and in violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India,” he said.
The JKPA urged the Chief Minister to take immediate notice of the misdeeds of the officials of the State Information Department and end injustice, which is bound to set up unrest and deprive hundreds of skilled and unskilled youth of bread and butter in the State of J&K.
“The government is already gripped by the monster of unemployment and hence the functional mechanism of the said Department is bound to add fuel to the fire,” he added. (GNS)