A Kashmiri Journalist working for an Indian news channel has resigned, alleging that the channel was “forcing” him to prepare “fabricated anti-Kashmir” reports.
journalist Naseer Ahmed who was affiliated with Zee News Network for 16 years had joined Noida based IBN7 Hindi news channel in November 2014.
IBN7-Indian TV news channel telecast the national news in the Hindi language and is the venture of famous company Network 18.
“I resigned on moral grounds as the Channel operators were forcing me to prepare anti-Kashmir reports only. They are biased and were refusing to air my reports reflecting ground reality of Kashmir,” Naseer Ahmed told Kashmir based news agency CNS adding that the Channel is least bothered about civilian killings and has an agenda to twist facts about Kashmir and malign its image across globe.
“After the killing of Hizb Commander Burhan Wani in July, the Editorial Board of IBN7 asked me to prepare a fabricated report against Burhan. When I refused, they contacted their Jammu reporter who did it for them from Jammu,” Naseer said and claimed that the news channel always twist facts about Kashmir and mislead people of India through lies and distortion.
He said that he was shocked when the Channel refused to air a story about ATM Guard from old Srinagar city who was put to death by CRPF after they pumped pellets into his body when he was on way to his home. “Instead of airing this story, the Channel people asked me to find an injured Security Man anywhere in Kashmir Valley and prepare a story on him. Every time I send them a story based on facts, they distorted it and presented it from the prism of terrorism,” he said.
“I resigned from the job in protest against the role this ‘fanatic’ channel played in kindling and then promoting a campaign of blind nationalism. This Channel is doing disservice to its own people and misleads them about Kashmir. This Channel runs fabricated stories on Kashmir to appease a section of people. My conscience didn’t allow me to report false stories for them,” Naseer said and added that IBN7 has no transparent and stringent system and it follows blind nationalism when it comes to Kashmir.
Pertinently, majority of the Indian news channels are being accused of twisting facts when it comes to Kashmir. Some were even accused of fanning fire and running a hate campaign against Kashmir as a result the incumbent State government directed cable operators in Kashmir to stop airing them.