Belated criticism of channel ban politically inspired: Naidu

Information and Broadcasting minister M Venkaiah Naidu today countered those criticising the one-day ban on NDTV India over its Pathankot coverage, saying the "belated criticism" is clearly "ill informed and politically inspired" to create a controversy.

"Such reactions that came a day after the Government's decision was in public domain on November 3, 2016 was clearly an afterthought, suggesting a motivated design to create a controversy where none existed," the senior minister told reporters here.

He asserted that people of the country should know that the UPA Governments, during 2005-14, ordered several TV channels to go off air in 21 instances, for a period ranging from one day to two months for showing obscene visuals including 13 cases of telecasting 'Adult' rated certified films.

One channel was taken off air for 30 days for telecasting a sting operation, he said.

"People of the country are also wise enough to appreciate which of the two violations showing obscene visuals at the stroke of midnight and risking the lives of defence personnel and civilians through a live telecast of anti-terrorist operations in broad daylight- is a serious threat to the interests of the nation including its sovereignty, integrity and security," Naidu said.

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The Minister said the decision against NDTV India was not based on any newly invented rule and principle.

"The ground on which action has been proposed against NDTV India was only a logical conclusion of concerns clearly articulated by the UPA Government in various advisories issued after 26/11 terror attacks on multiple targets in Mumbai in 2008," he said.

Rejecting criticism that compared the present case to Emergency, Naidu said many BJP leaders and a large number of activists were at the "worst receiving end of Emergency and would shudder to even think of doing the same to others and particularly, in respect of freedom of media.