Truth will be the biggest casualty of this Orwellian order, Omar on new Media policy

Srinagar, Jun 12 : Reacting to the new Media policy-2020 in J&K, former chief minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah on Friday alleged that the truth will be the biggest casualty of this ‘Orwellian order’.

The J&K administration earlier this month approved the media policy-2020 for ‘creating a sustained narrative on the functioning of the government in the media’.

The new policy given J&K administration powers to decide what is ‘fake’, ‘unethical’ or ‘anti-national’ news, and to take legal action against the journalist or media organisation concerned, including stopping government advertisements and sharing information with security agencies.

Terming the editorial of a national newspaper about the J&K government’s new media policy as very powerful, Mr Abdullah said that ‘the only version the authorities want to hear is their own version’.

“Very powerful editorial in today’s @IndianExpress about the J&K government’s new media policy. The only version the authorities want heard is their own version. The truth will be the biggest casualty of this Orwellian order,” Mr Abdullah wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.

Meanwhile, barring BJP, all political parties — including PDP, NC, Congress and Peoples Conference – have criticized this policy, alleging that it will give the government free hand to militate against journalists and muzzle free voices.

UNI