Banning of 34 TV channels
JK Govt received directives in July last year
NL Correspondent
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government had received directives for banning of TV channels from several countries in July last year from the centre, for which the state authorities issued orders recently, officials said.
A senior official of the Home Department, said the state government was directed by the centre in July last year that TV channels of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Iran should not be aired here.
However, the official said the state government didn't act on the directives of the centre during the last year. “The state government apprehended that banning of Islamic channels may further anger the people during the unrest and decided not to stop airing these channels,” the official said.
The state, the official said was “prompted” to act against these channels after a national daily reported that over 50 Saudi and Pakistani channels, preaching “Salafist Islam, indulging in anti-India propaganda, and are running without necessary clearances via private cable networks in Kashmir”.
“The centre took cognizance of the report and told the state why its directives were not implemented in the state,” the official said.
In this regard, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu also spoke to state authorities asking them to stop the “unauthorised broadcast” of Pakistani and Saudi Arabian channels in the state.
Subsequently, the government asked all the deputy commissioners of the state to take action against transmission of 34 TV channels, including those from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. The government had said they had the potential to “incite violence and create law and order situation”.
“It has been reported that the cable operators in the valley have been transmitting certain TV channels (which are not permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India),” an order issued by Principal Secretary, Home Department RK Goyal to all the deputy magistrates (deputy commissioners) of the state, said.
Goyal had asked deputy commissioners to clarify as to what action has been taken in regard to media reports that certain cable operators were “transmitting such non-permitted channels” and also directed them to take urgent necessary action.
“In the circumstances, it is impressed upon you to ensure that urgent necessary action is taken in accordance with provisions of law,” the order reads.
He had said the transmission of non-permitted TV channels by the cable operators attracts violation of the Cable TV Networks Regulation Rules.
“As per Section 11 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, the district magistrate has the power to seize the equipment in case of a violation,” the order reads.
The State Home Department, which is headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has listed 34 such channels belonging to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia including Zakir Naik's Peace TV.
The 34 channels are Peace TV Urdu and English, ARY QTV, Madni Channel, Noor TV, Hadi TV, Paigam, Hidayat, Saudi Al-Sunnah Al-Nabawiyah, Saudi-Al-Quran Al-Karim, Sehar, Karbala TV, Ahli-biat TV, Message TV, Hum TV, ARY Digital Asia, Hum Sitaray, ARY Zindagi, PTV Sports, ARY Musik, TV One, ARY Masala, ARY Zauq, A TV, Geo News, ARY News Asia, Abb Takk News, Waseb TV, 92 News, Duniya News, Samna News, Geo Tez, Express News and ARY News.
