Kashmir unmoved by Neeraj Chopra’s historic win
Kozhikode: The stunning gold medal triumph of Neeraj Chopra lifted the pride of all Indians to new horizons and all national and vernacular media celebrated the joyous occasion in style; however, media in one state remained unmoved by the incident.
Not just in media the glory of Neeraj did not shine well, but it seems that the entire Kashmir has not been moved an inch by the historic win.
Most of the newspapers, such as Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Times, Rising Kashmir etc., pulled the story to inside pages like any usual development. The questions it raises dwindle the sheen of much-hyped Modi care in Kashmir.
Speaking exclusively to Mathrubhumi.Com, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, National Conference President and MP of Srinagar, termed it a tragedy.
“All media across the nation carried the news on Neeraj Chopra’s win on the front page but in Kashmir the news got pulled to inside pages. It is a tragedy and a politically motivated thing. The representatives of the government who monitor the media here, have not encouraged the press to carry it on the front page. Here we don’t have press freedom. Stop this attitude against Kashmir,” he added.
It looks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir and the promises of holding assembly elections in the imminent future have not succeeded in winning them. In a recent tweet, Modi Said, “Our priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K. Delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can happen and J&K gets an elected Government that gives strength to J&K’s development trajectory.”
Quoting a retired a bureaucrat, The Telegraph Online in its story measures the degree of integration of Kashmir with the Indian union after revoking article-370, that had provided a special autonomous status to Jammu Kashmir. The valley was sliced into separate regions of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
“Central government claims from high rostrums that Kashmir has never been so closely assimilated into India. The truth is we have never ever felt so removed from India and all things Indian. The Olympic gold and young Chopra’s singular achievement is a thing to cherish and celebrate, no doubt, but we don’t feel it; it just doesn’t come. Don’t blame us for our indifference; you threw us away with that blow,” Telegraph quoted a retired bureaucrat.
Chopra and India’s first Olympic track-and-field gold did not make it to the front pages of Valley newspapers on Sunday.
When asked, a Journalist from Greater Kashmir, named Arif, told Mathrubhumi.Com that all media in Kashmir carried it in sports page. He did not want to continue the conversation further in the present context.
It seems the common man in Kashmir is not even aware of Neeraj Chopra’s gold winning.“Neeraj Chopra? Who is he? The price of all items is skyrocketing here. The price of 15 litre mustard oil was just Rs 1,500 three months back, it now costs Rs 3,000. Similarly, the price of all commodities has gone up; the safety concerns and lack of employments are adding up to the mess,” said Bhasharat Rashid, a resident.
The throw of Neeraj was strong enough to win the hearts of millions of people in all states; but fell short of reaching the valley, writes Sankarshan Thakur in 'The Telegraph'.