“Lockdown of democracy”: Shashi Tharoor on cases against journalists

Srinagar: Senior Congress leader, Shashi Tharoor, has called out the Jammu and Kashmir Cyber Police booking Kashmiri journalists on Twitter. “Federalism has been overridden, Parliament & courts can’t convene, now media,” he said. “Are we seeing the Lockdown of Democracy?”

This week, three journalists were booked by the police. Masrat Zahra, a freelance photojournalist, was booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and section 505 of Indian Penal Code. While another FIR was filed against a story by a national daily, The Hindu, and on Gowher Geelani, a Kashmir-based journalist and author.

“The gradual erosion of our democracy under the guise of the fight against #COVID19 is gathering pace while we are all under #Lockdown,” wrote Tharoor. “Federalism has been overridden, Parliament & courts can’t convene, now media😷. Are we seeing the Lockdown of Democracy?”

Various rights groups and Kashmir Press Club has also called out the harassment of journalists by the police — and demanded charges to be withdrawn against the journalists.