In a seeming caving in to pressure from Opposition and media fraternity, Union information and broadcasting ministry has decided to “put on hold” the order to impose a one day ban on the Hindi channel NDTV India after the broadcaster requested that the decision be reviewed.
Sources stated that the decision has been put on hold till the time the appeal is disposed of. The decision comes after NDTV co-chairman Prannoy Roy met Union information and broadcasting minister M. Venkaiah Naidu Monday evening and discussed the issue.
Sources said that Mr Roy, while referring to the decision of the inter-ministerial committee imposing the penalty, contended that the perspective of NDTV in this regard “was perhaps not fully and adequately appreciated”.
It is understood that Union I&B minister agreed to the request and the ministry will review the decision and till that time the order has been put on hold.
Earlier in the day, NDTV India moved the Supreme Court challenging the order imposing one day ban on the channel.
The petition is likely to be heard on Tuesday. In its petition, NDTV India said it had not violated the guidelines and other television channels also had telecast the same programme. NDTV had been singled out for this programme and this amounted to hostile discrimination.
Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for his remarks that the Narendra Modi dispensation seeks to silence the Opposition, Mr Naidu stated that it was the Congress which imposed Emergency and dismissed state governments on several occasions. “It is like devil quoting the scriptures. Congress has no moral right to rake up the issue of democratic principles. It is they who imposed Emergency and used Article 356 (to impose central rule in states) umpteen times. You silenced Opposition, you devalued institutions,” Mr Naidu said.
The reaction of Naidu came after Rahul attacked the Modi government stating that democracy is going through “one of its darkest hours” with the ruling dispensation “obsessed with power and seeking to silence” all those who disagree. “TV channels are being punished and asked to shut down. The Opposition is being arrested for holding the government to account,” Gandhi had alleged.
However, the I&B minister reminded the Congress Vice-President that under UPA rule, 21 channels were banned for “airing midnight masala”. He said the Modi government imposed a day-long ban on national security issue. The norms related to coverage of terror incidents were stipulated by the former UPA government, he pointed out. Naidu said the criticism of the Prime Minister by Congress was out of frustration and democracy was more vibrant in India today.
