Congress flags reports of journalists being summoned in J&K over ‘routine reporting’

The Congress on Tuesday (January 20, 2026) expressed concern over reports of journalists from national newspapers being summoned and questioned for what it described as “routine reporting” in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), saying such actions undermined democratic functioning and press freedom.

In a statement posted on X, AICC in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Syed Naseer Hussain, said a democratic society could not function if “the basic act of asking questions is treated as an act of defiance”.

He said journalists in the region had, for years, worked under conditions that tested both professional integrity and personal security. Referring to repeated summons, restrictions and administrative pressure, Mr. Hussain said these had become part of the environment in which Kashmiri journalists were expected to discharge their constitutional role.

The Congress, he said, shared the “deep anguish” of the people of J&K and of journalists and the free media in the region, who continued to bear the consequences of such a “climate”.

Mr. Hussain said independent journalism should not be viewed as an adversary of the State, but as an essential partner in ensuring accountability, transparency, and informed public debate. Replacing this relationship with suspicion and coercion narrowed the space for democratic engagement, he added.

He also called upon the office of the Lieutenant Governor, which functions under the authority of the Union Government, to ensure that governance in Jammu and Kashmir was exercised through “transparent, consultative, and lawful means”, reflecting Constitutional restraint and democratic accountability rather than a “command-and-control” approach.

“The strength of our democracy is measured by how confidently it allows its institutions to be examined, not by how tightly it seeks to manage the narrative,” Mr. Hussain said.

The Congress urged the Central Government to issue clear guidelines preventing the summoning or questioning of journalists for lawful reporting, refrain from actions that constrain freedom of speech and expression, and ensure that journalists and media institutions are not subjected to intimidation or undue pressure. It also called for an independent and transparent mechanism to review complaints related to misuse of authority or violations of press freedom.