Government lens on TV channel spreading disharmony

New Delhi: Deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha P.J. Kurien on Wednesday asked the government to look into the allegations against a private news channel for spreading communal disharmony in UP. The observations of the Chair came after Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan alleged that a private news channel was creating mischief in his hometown, Sambhal, in western Uttar Pradesh.

According to the Samajwadi Party MP the editor of the private news channel had set his eyes on the historic Jama Masjid of Sambhal, which is more than five hundred years old. The channel has asked fellow citizens to go to Sambhal on April 13 and purify the mosque, as there was a Hindu place of worship inside the mosque. Mr Khan also added that the channel is airing regular programmes with captions like “Muslims rule Sambhal”, “Ravan Raj in Sambhal” and “Sambhal, a place of Jihadis”, amongst others. He sought an explanation from the government on the issue.

“Why is the government keeping quiet when such a channel is running such programs? Why cannot the government ban such programs?” Mr Khan asked. Minister of state for parliamentary affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “We cannot allow anyone to disturb peace and harmony. We have taken note of it and proper action will be taken.”