SRINAGAR: Facebook has temporarily suspended the official page of a local Kashmiri weekly and removed a post of its cover showing iconic freedom fighter Burhan Wani over violation of its ‘community standards’.
The removal of social media page of the daily took place at a time when the people in the valley were marking the first death anniversary of the iconic freedom fighter.
The editors have demanded immediate restoration of the page.
Kashmiri Ink, a sister publication of the valley’s leading English daily Greater Kashmir had shared the cover of their latest issue having a sketch of Wani and the headline: “Kashmir: A year after Burhan’s death.”
Terming the Facebook’s move as completely unjustified, Executive Editor of Kashmir Ink Majid Maqbool said that it did not give any prior intimation before taking the extreme step while talking to Indian media.
He also said that “we had Burhan Wani on our front cover earlier in the year as well, but the official Facebook page was not blocked nor was the cover image removed.”
Noted political cartoonist Suhail H Naqshbandi, whose sketch of Wani was on the cover, said that some ignoramus folks reported the post to Facebook authorities.
The unrest in Kashmir since Wani’s killing on July 8 last year has left more than 100 dead and thousands injured, many blinded by pellets.
On the occasion of first death anniversary of iconic Kashmiri freedom fighter Burhan Wani, Indian authorities have deployed some 20,000 additional security personnel in held Kashmir to curb activities of pro-freedom activists while suspending the internet connectivity in the valley.
Despite the curfew like situation in Indian-held Kashmir, the political, religious, and social organizations have held programmes to pay tribute to slain freedom fighter.
Burhan Wani, a commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group best known for appearing on social media in military fatigues to urge young people to join the fight against Indian forces, was killed in southern Kashmir on July 8 last year.
