George Joseph's determined reportage from J&K is testimony to the importance of a journalist's role in a conflict situation.
My dearest husband, friend and colleague George Joseph passed away on February 27. While our daughter and I are in deep mourning, I feel compelled to narrate the story of an extraordinary journalist, with whom I shared my life with for 21 years. George had risked his life to uphold professional values. His reporting from Kashmir during the most turbulent years of militancy gave glory to the the profession of journalism; even today it is testimony to the importance of a journalist's role in a conflict situation.
George Joseph arrived in Srinagar in the autumn of 1989 to the deathly sound of Kalashnikovs in a situation that was to soon to turn into a full-fledged insurgency. The pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen was rising as a gang of ruthless killers. The Hizb had nearly wiped out the ideologically moderate Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). In Srinagar, the word “India” was anathema to the proponents of the so-called (freedom) movement. “Hindustani kutta”(Indian dog) was the choicest abuse. However, in surcharged and communally polarised Kashmir, George's religion and his South Indian ethnicity were seen as a neutral factor by militant supporters.
George reported extensively on the dramatic news events of that time. Be it Rubaiya Sayeed's abduction or the Gaw Kadal massacre, he was out there covering it. In February, Lassa Kaul, Director, Doordarshan Kendra, was killed. George was shocked to realise the complicity of the people around him. “There is treachery in everything around us,” he would say later. He was aghast that no Kashmiri priest came forward to perform Kaul's last rites. It was eventually done by an army priest. A month later, militants had killed P.L. Handoo, an assistant director in the Information Department.
That was when Governor Jagmohan advised three journalists working for national dailies — Hindustan Times, Indian Express and Times of India — to leave the Valley as he feared they would be the next targets. Overnight they had to leave for Jammu. However, George defied Jagmohan's diktat. He returned to Srinagar, much to the dislike of those in power and even some of his colleagues.
Series of abductions
After our marriage in February 1991, I shifted to Srinagar, from where I worked for the Tribune. During our first summer, there were a number of abductions: Indian Oil executive K. Doraiswamy, Bihar MLA S.P. Sinha, REC Principal R.L. Wakhloo are some of those that I remember spent months as captives of militants. One day, militants deposited a human finger in the PTI office, which was next to George's. That day we could feel the danger around us. If it was a finger today, tomorrow it could be a severed head.
A year later, on a cold March afternoon, we received a call from the Hizbul Mujahideen spokesperson. The caller told George that the Hizb had split. The Hizb leader, Master Ahsan Dar, had been charged with embezzlement of funds and expelled after a brief imprisonment by his own cronies. George asked him to provide proof. The caller told us that the Hizb had issued a formal press release to the local media about it a day before. However, on the advice of their Pakistani handlers, they had instructed the media to black out the news. The caller arranged to drop the original handout in our letter box. The Hizbul Mujahideen split was the turning point in the history of the insurgency, and George and I were the only ones to report it.
Next morning we had to fly to Jammu where my grandmother had passed away. At about 10 p.m., the police were at my parents' home. DIG Jammu Gopal Sharma had sent for George. Sharma told George that his report had created a massive backlash. The Hizb were livid and had issued a 48-hour deadline to him to leave Kashmir. Sharma made George speak with Governor Girish Saxena on the telephone. Saxena advised George to stay out of Kashmir for at least a few weeks till he assessed the situation. Next day, Hizb's threat to George was the banner headline in all newspapers. George issued a rejoinder explaining he had merely done his duty by reporting a fact.
Our security
We returned to Srinagar after the 13 days of formal mourning for my grandmother. It was the beginning of an ordeal and a test of our professional stamina. We advised all our friends against visiting us, since militants could target them. Police posted a pistol-holding plainclothesman for our security; we encouraged stories about having fool-proof security. I even pretended that I carried a pistol in my handbag. I wondered how long we could live with this isolation. “Madam Aasha Khosa,” I vividly remember George telling me, “if we seek a posting out of Kashmir on the diktats of Hizbul Mujahideen, then newspapers would have to post a new correspondent here every week.”
George was eventually transferred by the Indian Express to Lucknow. The Hizb were jubilant. Newspapers were more eager to protect their circulation in the Valley than stand up to the militants. The Hizb presumed that I would also leave with my husband. But it was George who advised me to stay on, despite my fears of continuing in Kashmir on my own.
“It's time for you to prove yourself. Get absorbed in work and show them the power of the pen,'' I followed his advice. I hope I lived up to expectations of this man who was an idol for many.
(Aasha Khosa is a New Delhi-based journalist.)
Absolute honest and dedicated person for cause of print
media...........I see lot of journalists running around for fame on TV
& hoardings but believe me this is rare where no fear for life while
doing your duty is commendable. Nobody would come forward to support
you eventually and mere words, but at same time he will always be
there around as inspiration.
May god bless the family so that Goerge feels proud of family
following foot prints to success...............
dear mam, it must have been my luck that i got the opportunity to work
with George sir in IANS during my internship there. I didn't get to tell
him, but i must convey it now that I held great admiration for him as a
journalist and more as a person. i wish i could thank him for the
brilliant suggestions he made for my stories! I will never forget those
hearty laughs that we all enjoyed on his wisecracks. He is an
inspiration for me.
Dear Madam, My hearty condolences. Your husband was a great journalist. He always upheld the ethics and values of journalism.Despite India's media boom, its journalism is shrinking. Let this be an inspiration for new generation journalists.
Great Job Madam Aasha and Mr. George Joseph, may god bless you..
dear Asha, I was not surprised by reading your story about George Joseph because I had the privilege of knowing the man and working with him. In 1980s the Times of India decided to launch Jaipur edition, i was just out of college and didn't know anything about journalism. Since I was a local boy I was taken as a trainee. There I met George saheb, as i used to call him. He was epitome of dedicated journalist. In those days, Jaipur transport was not good and having a scooter or motorcycle was considered luxury for journalists. So george saheb used to walks miles for a story or interview in bitter cold or intense heat of rajasthan. and the man had no complaints because to him story was more important. May god bless his soul and give strength to bear this loss.
First, my condolences, which of course are not enough to ease your pain.But sometimes, just to show we care, silence needs to be broken. So I thank you for sharing this story. Also, both as a journalist and also as someone who believes in the possibility of change - I want to tell you to keep writing because you indeed are doing something important.
We have forsaken our honour and self respect for the sake of a few votes from the majority community of J&K and are willing to absorb any amount of humiliation from these traitors. The big tragedy is, Jammu and Ladakh which are unquestionably pro India, have been clubbed with the anti India Valley. There is only one solution namely, unilaterally convert the Line of Control into a formal Ind-Pak border as should have been done at Shimla in 1972 where we held all the aces but were sold out by a Kashmiri PM; create three separate states of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh; and scrap the highly venal Article 370 that has encouraged Pakistani and local terrorists like Mohd Afzal to call the shots in that hapless state. Those from the Valley who are opposed to this solution should migrate to Pakistan.
I am no way related to you/ your profession/ the location of the story. But, I felt so proud about your professionalism.
The author says-" However, in surcharged and communally polarised Kashmir, George's religion and his South Indian ethnicity were seen as a neutral factor by militant supporters". But with recent persecution of christains, banning on propagation and banishment of pastor Tejinder Khanna proves otherwise. But in that atmosphere of cold hatred where nothing but hope survises.Indian army did wonderful job by establishing.
Great Asha-You have given us some wonderful stories in the past.I know life without your dear joseph must be hard but nobody can change what is destined for us. Continue to give us the true real stories.
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