New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed television channels not to give platform to persons who are accused of serious crimes, terrorism or linked to banned outfits.
The notice is issued after it has taken note of a person facing serious crimes including terrorism and belonging to an outfit banned by India was invited for discussion on a television channel.
‘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 organisation which has been proscribed by law in India, was invited for a discussion on a television channel,’ a statement said.
The government noted the person making remarks on the discussion that were ‘detrimental to the sovereignty and integrity of the country’ adding that it had the ‘potential of disturbing public order in the country’.
The person ‘made several remarks which were detrimental to the sovereignty and 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 statement said.
The ministry asked TV channels to adhere to the provisions laid under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
‘Television channels are advised to refrain from giving any platforms to reports/references about and views/agenda of persons against whom there are charges of serious crimes/terrorism and belonging to organisations which have been proscribed by law,’ the ministry was quoted as saying.