Francis Fernandes
An inter-ministerial panel of the Union Government concluded that NDTV had allegedly revealed crucial and strategically sensitive information when the Pathankot Air Force attack in the month of January 2016 was being carried out. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry invoked the powers under the Cable TV act and by an order dated November 2, 2016 banned the coverage of NDVT news channel from midnight November 9 to midnight November 10. Under its order it states NDTV passed out sensitive information “ammunition stockpiled in the airbase MIGs, fighter planes, rocket launchers, mortars, helicopters, fuel tanks are likely to be used by the terrorists themselves or their handlers to cause massive harm to national security, life of civilians and defence personnel.”
Live coverage is information and such information helps the terror outfits whose masters/handlers are outside India who direct the terrorists with all the inputs readily available from the live coverage as most Indian channels carry out live coverage of terror attacks. An example of this is the Mumbai attacks of 2008 when the terrorists from across the border carried out brutal massacre of the Indian citizens and destroyed large national and corporate properties. The Mumbai attack had a military precision and lasted for four days. Only when the then defence minister ordered complete closure of live telecast by the news channels the terrorists lost control with their masters but by then they had mauled over 166 innocent people.
Taking an example from the Mumbai attacks of 2008, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry should ban all news channels from telecasting live coverage of terror attacks in the interest of national security and in the interest of protecting human lives, national and private properties. The news channels may be permitted to give just news, hourly or half hourly, till the encounter ends and allow the delayed coverage to be telecast once the entire encounter is finally over.
However, the ban on NDTV is not welcomed by most people who say it is the most credible news channel airing quality news and covering almost the entire world happenings with its reporters based in different parts of the world. Some people have said it is an emergency-like situation and if one channel is banned today it may be a turn of other channels. People from all walks of life have come forward and opposed the governments order on NDTV. The Editors Guild has condemned the move and appealed the government to withdraw the ban. NDTV on its part said it will put up a brave fight against the government’s order.
