SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Ur Rehman Para on Wednesday strongly criticised the Jammu Kashmir administration for what he described as the “selective revival” of social media surveillance and media gag policies, questioning the Chief Minister’s position on the matter.
In a post on X, Para said that the latest directives to monitor and restrict social media activity in Jammu and Kashmir ran contrary to the spirit of the recent elections, which he said were fought to “end silence, fear, and suffocation.”
“The election in Jammu and Kashmir was fought to end silence, fear, and suffocation. People didn’t vote for control; they voted for dignity and the right to speak without fear,” Para wrote. “Yet, fresh orders to monitor and restrict social media are being issued selectively in Jammu and Kashmir, not elsewhere in India.”
He went on to ask, “What is the Chief Minister’s stand on this? What does the CM, who also holds the Information portfolio, have to say?”
Accusing the government of using “vigilance and monitoring” as tools of intimidation, Para alleged that such measures were intended to suppress journalists and stifle free expression. “This reflects a troubling intent to control narratives, silence truth, and push JK deeper into a surveillance regime,” he remarked.
Urging for openness and accountability, Para said Jammu Kashmir “deserves transparency, not targeting; openness, not oppression.” He added that the purpose of the election was to restore public trust and dignity — not to “replace one silence with another.” -(KL)
