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Journalism of Courage
As the census gets underway across Kashmir,the Army has begun a parallel census in Sopore,angering and terrorising the locals.
For the past three weeks,the Army has been giving special census forms to Mohalla heads in Sopore and ordering them to get these filled with details of every household in their neighbourhoods. The Army gave me computerised forms and told me to collect names and contact details of family members,both men and women,of all households in my Mohalla, said one of the Mohalla heads,who didnt want to be named for fear of reprisal from the army.
The Army census has terrorised and angered locals,said Nazir Ahmad,a resident.
This is only going to disturb peace. If it continues,people will have no option but to take to streets, he said.
The Army census comes three years after the CRPF men went door to door,demanding details of families. A media outcry,however,had then forced the CRPF to abandon the census midway.
The Army denied it had begun a census. We are not involved in any such process, Army spokesman Lt Col J S Brar said.
