Memorial Service to remember and pay homage to Shujaat Bukhari, Editor-in-Chief, Rising Kashmir
OUR CORRESPONDENT / NEW DELHI
Former Vice-President, Hamid Ansari Wednesday said that speaking truth had become a challenge in the country. Addressing at the memorial gathering to pay tribute to the late Shujaat Bukhari the editor of Rising Kashmir, he said Bukhari was an eminent person and an eminent editor, who was brutally snatched away.
Bukhari was a brave and honest man who carried the voice of people to a larger audience, said Ansari.
“When freedom is in peril, first symptom we find is one who carries the voice of people to the larger audience is attacked. Shujaat’s death is an example of that. Those who speak honestly and candidly are punished in brutal manner as we take pride in the free society but are not ready to tolerate,” the former Vice President said.
In a veil attack on the prevailing atmosphere across India, Ansari said it was a challenge to speak the truth and express opinions freely.
Lauding Bukhari for his courage and conviction, he said, the Rising Kashmir founder had stood for sanity in difficult conditions in Kashmir.
Senior journalist and founder editor of The Print, Shekhar Gupta while
Paying glowing tributes to Bukhari said he had nurtured a cadre of young journalists who would carry forward his mission.
He also slammed a section of Indian media particularly the news channels saying they look at Kashmir issue through the prism of conflict.
“I won’t call these warriors and commando-type channels anti-national but they are greatly damaging the country’s interest,” Gupta said.
“In the present times, journalism has become a dangerous profession as one can’t be neutral,” he said. “It is a curse and you can get abused, and Shujaat also carried that curse while living in a dangerous place. “
The co-chair of Hindu group, Malini Parthasarthy said Bukhari’s blood would not go in vain as he stood and worked for the democratic process and Kashmir peace.
“It is important for us assembled here to ensure that Shujaat’s sacrifice does not go in vain. His assassination is a chilling reminder of the vested interests and anti-democratic forces who do not want democracy or peace to flourish in Kashmir,” Dr. Parthasarathy said.
“We must stand up to the vested interests on both sides who do not want peace and democracy to flourish in Kashmir. We owe it to Shujaat and the people of Kashmir for whom he fought so long and hard, to isolate the hardliners and fascists, and build public momentum for the revival of a political process and democracy in Kashmir,” she added.
Recalling his long association with Bukhari, journalist Muzamil Jaleel pointed out the precarious position of journalists covering Kashmir, who were seen both as “jihadis” and “informers”, thus facing accusations from both the state and separatists.
Journalist Iftekhar Gilani recalled how Bukhari and he had seen death from close quarters together and added that 19 journalists had been killed there till now, with no investigation reaching its conclusion.
Congress leader Manish Tewari and veteran journalist Shekhar Gupta also spoke on the occasion.