Centre Issues Advisory To TV Channels, Asks To Not Give Space To Persons With Terror Links

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has asked the TV news channels to not give space to persons having links to terrorism in an advisory issued on Thursday, September 21. The advisory has been issued in the wake of ongoing diplomatic standoff between India and Canada and asks the channels to not provide a platform to any individual belonging to an organisation proscribed by law in India.

In the advisory, the ministry cited the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) ACt, 1995 which suggests that the government may issue orders in order to maintain the sovereignty and integrity of India and maintain national security. The advisory mentions a recent interview aired by a TV channel including Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of banned outfit Sikh For Justice (SFJ). Pannun, designated as a terrorist by New Delhi in 2020, had threatened the Canadian Hindus asking them to leave Canada.

Taking notice of the same, the ministry has issued the advisory where it underlined that even during the interview, the foreign guest has made several anti-India remarks. The advisory asserted that such telecasts could pose potential challenges to the law and order situation of the country.

“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,” said the advisory.

“Television channels are advised to refrain from giving any platform to reports/references about and views/agenda of persons against whom there are charges of serious crimes/terrorism and belonging to organizations which have been proscribed by law,” said the advisory. The ministry asserted that the government upholds freedom of press, it is necessary to adhere to the provisions of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

India- Canada relations have been strained after the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged that Indian government may have potential links with the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. NIjjar was killed near a gurudwara in British Columbia in June this year.