Kashmir Press Club bungalow given to J&K Police, CM Omar Abdullah tells assembly; vows to provide suitable space

SRINAGAR: Even as the Omar Abdullah govt has promised its revival, the Kashmir Press Club (KPC) is unlikely to be reopened at the govt building in Srinagar’s Polo View market, from where it operated before being shut down in Jan 2022. The bungalow that housed KPC has been handed over to Jammu and Kashmir Police, CM Omar told the J&K assembly on Tuesday.

Omar, however, assured that his govt was committed to providing a “suitable space” to the press club in Srinagar to enable it to function effectively. “A free independent and responsible press is the cornerstone of a vibrant democracy,” he said, adding he would take concrete steps to “revive and support the press clubs in Jammu and Srinagar, providing a dedicated space for journalists”. “We want that no media person should face any issues for speaking the truth,” the CM told the assembly.

In a written reply to a question by PDP legislator Waheed Parra, Omar informed the assembly that the bungalow at Polo View market had been given to the media in 2018 on the verbal directions of then CM Mehbooba Mufti. Thereafter, the building was designated as Kashmir Press Club. The then govt had not issued any formal orders for this allotment, Omar said.

After KPC’s shutdown, govt took over the building. In 2022, an “important building of the police department”, which housed the office of east Srinagar SP (city), among others, was gutted in a fire. Initially, these offices were allowed to function from the closed press club building on a temporary basis. In 2023, the administration allotted the bungalow to J&K Police’s Special Investigation Agency, the chief minister said.

Parra had asked govt about the reasons for not restoring the KPC at its “allotted, authorised building”. He had also asked about the measures taken by govt to get back the building from the police.

Since the start of the budget session, talks of revival of KPC has gained momentum, with opposition PDP pressing govt over the issue.

On March 22, Omar had said in a social media post that the press club would be revived, and “efforts being made to politicise it shall be defeated”.