KSJA lashes out at Sports Council for sidelining Kashmir Sports Journalists
Srinagar, Sep 30, KNT: Kashmir Sports Journalist Association (KSJA) has lashed out at J&K Sports Council for continuing to alienate and mistreat the Kashmir based Sports Journalists.
In a statement issued by KSJA President, Syed Tajamul, the Association has lashed out at Sports Council for not considering Sports Journalist from Kashmir for the membership of Sports Council body.
“For more than two decades now, not a single Kashmir based Sports Journalist has been made member of Sports Council. They have not even been considered. If we look at last five terms of Council never ever Sports Journalist from Kashmir has been made member. And if any journalist from Kashmir was member, he or she was not Sports Journalist,” KSJA President said in a statement issued.
He said that KSJA have got number of dedicated sports journalists who have served for last so many years in the area but never have they been given respect they deserve.
“We have number of dedicated sports journalists in Kashmir. They have been disrespected repeatedly by all the organizations and Sports Council being prime body to do that. We have sports journalist like Abid Khan who has been part of Greater Kashmir sports desk for more than 16 years now. Even he has never been considered for the membership by Sports Council or been invited anywhere during events or functions. It is our right as for past more than two decades all sports journalists have been chosen as members from Jammu region,” said Syed Tajamul.
He said that Sports Journalists from Kashmir have been highlighting sports in the region without any bias and in return they have always been disrespected.
“We as Sports Journalists have been highlighting sports activity and sportspersons of Kashmir region wholeheartedly. However, we have always been overlooked and disrespected. Sports Council or DYSS doesn’t even invite our journalist during their top level functions or events,” he said.
He said that it has come to the notice of KSJA that Sports Council is set to form body in which they have completely overlooked Kashmir Sports Journalists.
“It has come to our notice that Sports Council has sent proposal to form body in which it has proposed names for membership. The proposals sent are missing names of Kashmir Sports journalist in journalist quota. Instead proposal include two names from Jammu region and in another proposal name of mainstream journalist,” he said.
KSJA President has appealed LG J&K to look into the matter and see why Sports Journalists are being sidelined every time. (KNT)
