Excelsior Correspondent
New Delhi, Oct 27: Press Council of India, Chairman Justice C K Prasad, today wrote to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Dineshwar Sharma, the Union Government Special Interlocutor on Kashmir, to involve the media, working journalists and editors in the dialogue process as “they are important and integral stake holders’ in the affairs of the State.
Rajnath had on Monday announced the appointment of Dineshwar Sharma, former Director of Intelligence Bureau, as the Special Representative of the Government, to hold talks with all stakeholders in Jammu and Kashmir to restore peace in the State.
In separate letters to Rajnath Singh and Dineshwar Sharma, forwarding a copy of the report of the Press Council of India on the ‘Media Scenario in Jammu & Kashmir’, Justice Prasad, said that the report contained several observations and recommendations to facilitate functioning of the media in a safe and unfettered environment to discharge its role as watchdog in Jammu & Kashmir.
The PCI Chairman said the Sub-Committee whose report was adopted by the Council on October 9, extensively toured all the three regions of the State and elicited the views of hundreds of working journalists, editors besides the top officers of the State Police, Central Security Forces and the Army, before finalising the report. It also interacted with the Governor, Chief Minister and other elected representatives.
Justice Prasad said, “I am sure the observations and the recommendations of the Sub-Committee would help you to take forward your efforts to bring peace and tranquillity to the troubled State of Jammu & Kashmir”.
“I strongly recommend that you should involve the media, print and electronics, in the process of your dialogue for normalisation of situation in the State. You may also hold discussions with working journalists including photo/videographers, editors and managements of the media individually and through their representative organisations”, the PCI Chairman added.
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