Srinagar
In occupied Kashmir, noted journalist and political commentator, Gowhar Geelani, who has been booked by Indian police for his posts on social media, has said that journalism and words will survive and not the censorship.
Gowhar Geelani in a statement issued in Srinagar said journalists and writers are storytellers and they tell people’s stories and explain the events in a proper context and historicity with an analytical sweep.
“As a journalist, it is my job to write, to tell stories, and to analyse and interpret different situations and events on the ground. I have been telling all kinds of stories from Srinagar to Berlin, from New Delhi to London. A journalist can’t make all sides happy. Someone always finds something unpalatable. But that’s a journalist’s professional predicament,” he said.
Gowhar Geelani said that during his professional career spanning over 15 years he had been writing stories of the marginalised and the dispossessed, the powerful and the powerless – all kinds of stories, the tragedies and triumphs.
“I have been showered with accolades by the people and reputed independent institutions. At the same time I have witnessed many ups and downs in my career. Have faced abuses and threats from the rightwing trolls. Been accused of bias by competing ideological camps in Kashmir; left, right and centre,” he said.
Gowhar Geelani maintained that intimidating tactics from any quarter would not cow him down and he would continue doing his job with sound professional judgment. It is a badge of honour for a journalist when the dispossessed love your body of work and the powerful dislike it, he added.
Gowhar Geelani pointed out that all the charges made against him are concocted and baseless. The aim is to silence all the remaining critical and sane voices and to criminalise opinions and journalism in Kashmir, he said.
“Memory will win. Words are a writer’s weapons. All I have is: words. Let me assure one and all that Journalism and words will stay and survive. Censorship won’t. All my life I have advocated non-violence, condemned violence in all forms and manifestations, stood for the rights of the people and free speech,” he stated.
He thanked his family, friends, colleagues of journalists fraternity and all the people in and outside Kashmir for their support and solidarity. He concluded with the verse ‘Na siley ki na sataish ki Tamanna humko, haq main logoun ki to hamari hai aadat likhna’” (I don’t wish for reward and praise, my habit is to write in favour of the people)’.—KMS
