The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Thursday allowed the Sudarshan News channel to telecast a show on what the channel claimed was a big expose on “infiltration of Muslims” in the Civil Services.
It however, directed the channel to ensure that the show proposed to be telecast did not violate any programme code. It added action would be taken as per the law if any violation was found.
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The channel in its written submission stated before the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that its show was not violative of the law and further that if at all the programme was found to be violative, action as per law could be taken.
The programme “Bindaas Bol” was to be originally telecast on August 28.
The Delhi High Court on August 29 refused to vacate its stay on the telecast of the programme on a prima facie finding that the show’s trailer is violative of the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks (Regulations) Act, 1995. The High Court directions came after students and alumni of Jamia Millia Islamia University filed a petition against the channel after the trailer was telecast.
The High Court in its order had said, “The Central government shall decide on the notice remaining uninfluenced by any observations made by this court in the present order.”
As per the court directions, the Ministry issued notice to Suresh Chavhanke, Chief Editor, Sudarshan News. The channel argued that the Ministry cannot pre-censor a programme before telecast.
“This is a peculiar situation where while the programme has not yet been broadcast. The promo of the programme has been telecast on the channel which forms the basis of complaints received in the Ministry. Accordingly the Ministry issued a notice to the channel to give its say regarding adherence by the channel to the program code in respect of the proposed program,” the Ministry said in its order.
