The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 21st September issued an advisory to television channels to refrain from providing any platform to persons against whom there are charges of serious crimes including terrorism or belonging to organisations proscribed by law.
The advisory was issued after Khalistani terrorist and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) spokesperson Gurpatwant Singh Pannun appeared on ABP News for an exclusive interview on 20 September. In the interview, Pannun made several comments which are detrimental to the sovereignty/integrity of the country, security of India, friendly relations of India with a foreign state and also have the potential of disturbing public order in the country, said the ministry.
The advisory said that it has been issued in light of a recent discussion on a television channel of a person in a foreign country against whom there are serious cases of crime including terrorism, belonging to an organization which has been proscribed by law in India.
The advisory said, “It has come to the notice of this Ministry that a person in a foreign country against whom there are serious cases of crime including terrorism, belonging to an organization which has been proscribed by law in India was invited for a discussion on a television channel wherein the said person made several comments/remarks which were detrimental to the sovereignty/integrity of the country, security of India, friendly relations of India with a foreign state and also had the potential of disturbing public order in the country.”
The Ministry has categorically stated that the Government upholds media freedom and respects its rights under the Constitution, but at the same time the content telecast by TV channels must adhere to the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 including sub section (2) of Section 20.
It added that Section 20 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 lays down the circumstances and conditions under which the Central Government may, by order, regulate or prohibit transmission/retransmission of any television channel or programme in public interest, and where it is considered necessary and expedient to issue such orders in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of state, friendly relations of India with any foreign state, or public order or decency or morality.
In this context, “television channels are advised to refrain from giving any platform to reports/references about and views/agenda of persons of such crimes/terrorism and belonging to organizations which have been proscribed by law, having regard to the reasonable restrictions laid down under Article 19(2) of the Constitution and mentioned under sub-section (2) of Section 20 of the CTN Act,” said the advisory.
