TV Reporter ‘Intrudes’ Into Yasin Malik’s Bedroom

Srinagar: The police Friday registered a case against a television journalist from New Delhi after JKLF Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik said she entered his bedroom without permission.

The reporter from ‘India Today’ Kamaljit Sandhu claimed that Malik assaulted her cameraman, who had accompanied her, and damaged her mobile phone.

Malik denied the charge and said, “A female TV journalist from New Delhi barged into my bedroom Friday morning when I was asleep, on the pretext of interviewing me. Malik said the journalist entered his house in Maisuma telling his sister, who had opened the door, that she had an appointment for an interview with me.

In his complaint to the police, he alleged the journalist barged into his bedroom and started asking him questions about the NIA probe into the funding of separatist leaders.

“She had lied to my sister that she had an appointment with me. The fact is she never called for an appointment,” he told reporters at a press conference here after filing a complaint with the police for “breach of privacy”. “I will quit politics if its proven that she had called me or even given a miss call on my phone,” visibly angry Malik said.

Following Malik’s complaint, the police registered a case against the journalist and the cameraman under section 448 of the Ranbir Penal Code (illegal trespassing), which carries a punishment of up to one year in prison and a fine of Rs 1,000.

The journalist alleged Malik pushed the channels cameraman down a flight of stairs. She said he also smashed her mobile phone.

“She suddenly barged into my bedroom where I was asleep after fajr prayers and started shooting and recording on her mobile phone,” JKLF leader said.

“This shocked me. I objected to her behaviour. I snatched her mobile phone and asked her to leave my bedroom. She then started crying and alleging that I had manhandled her.”

“Is this journalism? The Indian media has raped journalistic ethics,” Malik said.

“Malik could have asked us to leave the location. Instead, he smashed our mobile phones. He assaulted the cameraperson and pushed him from the stairs,” the reporter said on her television channel.

Malik said that he reacted only after the reporter started video recording with her mobile.

“This gesture of the journalist triggered my anger and I snatched her phone. I ask the journalist community of India and J&K whether this is the way to interview a person,” Malik said. “She then created a scene by crying and alleging that I manhandled her, which is very unfortunate.”

“These Indian media personnel should put on army uniform while performing their job here because they are working for the agencies,” Malik alleged.

“A big section of Indian media, particularly T.V news channels, have embarked on a malicious propaganda war to demonise Kashmiris and their sacred freedom struggle. This propaganda war is an attempt to give legitimacy to Indian colonial control of Kashmir. Goebbels’s children and instruments of the Indian State want the people of India to believe that Kashmiri youth, students and resistance activists and leaders are mercenaries. The Indian media wants its people to believe that Kashmiris have sacrificed their lives, their eyes and limbs for a meagre 500 rupee note,” he said.

Commenting on the recent ‘Sting Operation’ done by the said channel, Yasin Malik said that people involved in the operation will speak for themselves. However, the incident is being used to malign the whole resistance movement. “One person from the team involved in the Sting Operation had approached me also saying that some Indian people wanted to give financial support to the Kashmiri resistance and for that they wanted to give me funds. I asked the person as to why would Indian people finance Kashmiri resistance? Hearing my response he left, never to return,” he said.

Malik challenged the ‘Indian media’ to prove whether he has bought any property in the name of freedom struggle. “I continue to live in a small two bedroom house of my parents and do not hold any other assets. I challenge the Indian media and the Indian intelligence agencies like the NIA to disprove my claim. In case they are able to prove any claim of corruption against me, I will give up resistance politics for good”,” Malik said. 

He said the freedom struggle of Kashmir is sacred for us. “It is our love and faith and not a business. Sections of Indian media which thrive on sensationalism and yellow journalism are trying to portray Kashmir’s liberation struggle as run by an army of mercenary youth and activists.

“India claims to be economically sound, then why has it failed to crush freedom struggle here by buying the loyalties of Kashmiri people. “Does India think a Kashmiri youth will take Rs 500 to face pellets and bullets. Indian media has virtually become mentally and ethically bankrupt,” he alleged.

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