Srinagar, A prominent Pune-based institution abruptly withdrew an award for Kashmiri journalist Safina Nabi on the eve of the ceremony, allegedly due to external pressures from Hindutva organizations.
Per the information provided by the Kashmir Media Service, Safina Nabi was initially chosen for an accolade by the journalism school of the Maharashtra Institute of Technology-World Peace University (MIT-WPU). Her piece, ‘The half widows of Kashmir’, showcased in Scroll, had been lauded in the category recognizing ‘journalism that promoted empathy, understanding, and inclusivity in society’. The article spotlighted the enduring struggles of Kashmir’s ‘half widows’ – women left in ambiguity due to their husbands’ custodial disappearances by Indian authorities. The Pulitzer Centre on Crisis Reporting supported the story’s creation.
Nabi’s contribution was unanimously selected from a multitude of submissions by a distinguished seven-member panel. Three of these members hailed from the institute itself, with the remaining four being external members that included figures like Sunanda Mehta, the resident editor of The Indian Express (Pune edition), and M.K. Venu, the founding editor of The Wire.
The journalist was informed of her achievement through a call and a subsequent email on October 11 from the director, Department of Media and Communication at MIT-WPU, Dhiraj Singh. Preparations for her attendance at the award ceremony were underway, and she was scheduled to leave for Pune on October 17. In a sudden turn of events, however, Nabi received a call on October 16 from an unidentified faculty member, advising her not to embark on her journey due to the award’s cancellation, citing “political pressure” as the primary reason. This unexpected revelation prompted Nabi to verify the claim’s legitimacy, only to have it confirmed.
Surprisingly, the jury was seemingly unaware of the award’s cancellation. Upon being informed of the situation, which had also been publicly stated by the institute the previous Saturday, they chose to boycott an event where they were to discuss “media and democracy”. M.K. Venu expressed deep concern over the increasing levels of suppression and intimidation faced by Kashmiri journalists. This information was sourced from the Kashmir Media Service.