Conflict

Kamran not a ‘real journalist’ as he has covered only ‘anti-national activities’, says NIA

Posted on

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency, in its charge sheet against photo journalist Kamran Yousuf has said that he is not a ‘real journalist’ as he has not covered ‘developmental activity of any government department’, ‘inauguration of a hospital or a school’, ‘statement of any political party in power’, reported the Indian Express.

The observations by the NIA are part of the chargesheet into the terror funding and stone pelting in the Valley filed on January 18 against 12 people including Yusuf, a free-lance photojournalist arrested on September 5 for his alleged involvement in “stone-pelting incidents”.

ALSO READ: #JournalismIsNotACrime: Why Kamran Yousuf is not Paul Comiti

While listing the ‘moral duties’ of a journalist, the NIA has observed in the chargesheet, “Had he been a real journalist/stringer by profession, he may have performed one of the moral duty of a journalist which is to cover the activities and happening (good or bad) in his jurisdiction.”

The chargesheet further says, “He had never covered any developmental activity of any Government Department/Agency, any inauguration of Hospital, School Building, Road, Bridge, statement of political party in power or any other social/developmental activity by state government or Govt of India.”

ALSO READ: #JournalismIsNotACrime: List of Journalists killed and attacked in Kashmir proves otherwise

The NIA chargesheet also pointed out that Yousuf has never covered the social work of the Army in the valley such as blood donation camps, skill development programmes or Iftaar parties. They chargesheet mentions that he has only taken videos of activities which are anti-national and earn money against such footages.

Moreover, the NIA has said that he is not a ‘professional’ as he has not received any formal training in journalism form any institute. The investigative agency said that after looking at the videos he possessed, they have been taken with a particular intentioin to cover ‘anti-national activities’ and provided the same to the ‘local media’ for publication.

Click to comment

Most Popular

© 2024 Free Press Kashmir. All rights reserved.

Exit mobile version