By IANS
Ahmedabad : Cable operators in Ahmedabad and some other parts of Gujarat resumed beaming of programmes of seven TV channels which were off air since Friday but any telecast of the Tehelka sting operation on communal violence of 2002 remains blocked.
The cable operators in the city had suspended beaming signals of Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, Tez, CNN-IBN, IBN7, NDTV 24X7 and NDTV following an order from Ahmedabad District Collector Dhananjay Dwivedi not to show the programme “Operational Kalank” and “Gujarat Sach” that featured the Tehelka footage.
Cable operators resumed airing these channels partly from Saturday evening or Sunday afternoon.
Friday’s order, under relevant provisions of the Cable Television Network Rules and Regulations, 1995, prohibited operators from telecasting any programme that could incite communal hatred or come in the way of maintenance of the law and order.
The official clarified that there was no full-fledged ban on the channels and his order related only to the Tehelka footage.
“There seems to be some confusion which I want to clear. The order only sought to prohibit the feature ‘Operation Kalank’ and ‘Gujarat ka Sach’. There was no ban on other programmes transmitted by the TV channels. The confusion was at the cable operators level,” Dwivedi told IANS.
However, the collector’s action evoked strong reaction from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which dubbed it as a “gag on the media”.
In a letter to the state election commission, Gujarat BJP general secretary Jayanti Barot said the collector’s order was beyond the purview of the model code of conduct – in operation ahead of the December polls.
Asked why he was challenging the collector’s order that apparently favoured the BJP, Barot said: “For us the issue is one of gag on the media which is untenable in a democratic system. The media may cover in favour of us or say things unfavourable to us but we do not favour any restraint on the media.”
Barot said he would seek legal advice on proceeding in the matter if the order was not withdrawn.