Explorer

Pathankot attack: Hindi news channel ordered to be taken off air for a day

 New Delhi: A leading Hindi news channel was today ordered by the government to be taken off air for a day after an inter-ministerial panel constituted by the I&B ministry recommended this action over the broadcaster's coverage of the Pathankot terror attack in January. An inter-ministerial panel had concluded that the channel 'NDTV India' had revealed crucial and "strategically sensitive" information when the terror attack on an IAF base was being carried out, official sources said. The Information and Broadcasting ministry while invoking the powers under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act said, "Orders to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of NDTV India channel for one day on any platform throughout India with effect from 00:01 hrs on 9th November,2016 till 00:01 hrs of 10th November, 2016". This is the first ever such order against a TV channel over its coverage of a terror attack, the norms regarding which were notified last year. Efforts were made to reach the channel for its comments, but they did not fructify. The matter pertains to the channel's coverage of the Pathankot attack where the committee felt that "crucial  information" that was aired could have been readily picked by terrorist handlers and had the potential to "cause massive harm not only to the national security, but also to lives of civilians and defence personnel." When the operation was on in January this year, the channel allegedly revealed information on the ammunition stockpiled in the airbase, MIGs, fighter-planes, rocket- launchers, mortars, helicopters, fuel-tanks etc "which was likely to be used by the terrorists or their handlers to cause massive harm," the sources said. The sources said that as the content appeared to be violation of the programming norms, a show-cause notice was issued to the channel in January this year. In its reply, the channel said that, it was a case of "subjective interpretation" and that most of the information they had put out was already in public domain in print, electronic and social media. The committee, however, observed that the channel 'appeared to give out the exact location of the remaining terrorists with regard to the sensitive assets in their vicinity' in their telecast in real time. The panel expressed "grave concern" that this was a matter of national security and that the channel had revealed sensitive details like location of ammunition depot viz-a-viz the space where the terrorists were holed up, location of school and residential areas. "Such crucial information could have been readily picked by their handlers, which had the potential to cause massive harm not only to the national security, but also to lives of civilians and defence personnel," the committee said as per the order.
View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headline

I.N.D.I.A Bloc In Bihar: Here's How Congress, RJD Have Decided To Share Seats After JD-U's Exit
I.N.D.I.A Bloc In Bihar: Here's How Congress, RJD Have Decided To Share Seats After JD-U's Exit
'BJP Should Pay Rs 4,600 Crore': Congress Slams Income Tax Dept, ECI After Getting Rs 1,700-Crore Notice
'BJP Should Pay Rs 4,600 Crore': Congress Slams Income Tax Dept, ECI After Getting Rs 1,700-Crore Notice
Another Blow To Congress As I-T Dept Serves Rs 1,700-Crore Notice Ahead Of Lok Sabha Elections: Report
Another Blow To Congress As I-T Dept Serves Rs 1,700-Crore Notice Ahead Of Lok Sabha Elections
Sunita Kejriwal Launches WhatsApp Campaign To Drum Up Support For Jailed Delhi CM
Sunita Kejriwal Launches WhatsApp Campaign To Drum Up Support For Jailed Delhi CM
Advertisement
for smartphones
and tablets

Videos

Bihar Seat Sharing: RJD to contest the upcoming polls on 26 seats-Sources | Elections 2024 |ABP NewsABP Shikhar Sammelan 2024: Anurag Thakur takes a jibe at Arvind Kejriwal's arrest | ABP NewsArvind Kejriwal Arrest: Sunita Kejriwal Launches WhatsApp Campaign To Drum Up Support For Jailed Delhi CMABP SHIKHAR SAMMELAN 2024: Here's What Defence Minister Reveals About His Further Political Plans

Photogallery

Embed widget