Facing Flak Over Kashmir Reportage, BBC Says It Stands By Its Journalism

A day after the Jammu and Kashmir Police brushed aside media reports of firing incidents in the Kashmir Valley, apparently in response to a video tweet by BBC which claimed firing on protesters in the Valley, the media organisation said Sunday that they stand by their journalism and strongly refute any claims that they have misrepresented events in Kashmir.

BBC had taken to Twitter on Saturday, posting a video showing police firing on protesters in the Valley in the wake of the Centre's move to strip Article 370 that granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

In response, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said Saturday they did not fire a single bullet for nearly a week and the situation in the region is calm.

"People should not believe any mischievous and motivated news reports regarding firing incidents in the Valley. The police have not fired a single bullet in the last six days. The situation is calm, people are cooperative and restrictions are being relaxed," the police said in a statement late on Saturday.

Inspector General (IG) of Police, Kashmir, SP Pani also rejected such media reports, saying they are false and no such firing incident has taken place in the Valley.

"This is to clarify that some international media reports regarding firing incidents in the Valley are wrong. No such incident has taken place. Valley has remained largely peaceful over the last one week," Pani said.

 Meanwhile, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur on Sunday slammed BBC's terminology for Jammu and Kashmir, demanding to know why it doesn't call Northern Ireland "British Occupied Ireland".

In a tweet, he said: "Hey @BBCWorld.. each time you call #kashmir 'Indian Occupied Kashmir' I keep wondering why you refuse to call Northern Ireland 'British Occupied Ireland'."

Kapur is not the first one to slam BBC, which refers to Jammu and Kashmir as "Indian-administered Kashmir" with several Indian commentators having accused foreign media of presenting a tilted view on the Kashmir issue.

In another tweet, the filmmaker said: "I cannot fathom why Pakistan feels abolition of #Articles370 is a threat to its own security. Can you?"

The Narendra Modi-led government recently scrapped Article 370 of the Indian Constitution which confers special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, the relations with Pakistan have been on a downturn.

(With inputs from Agencies)