Centre Issues Advisory To TV Channels Amid India-Canada Row

Amid the diplomatic row between India and Canada, the Central government on Thursday issued an advisory to all private television channels to refrain from interviewing individuals linked with terrorism. The advisory, however, does not mention Gurpatwant Singh Pannu or Canada's name.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said, "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."

"While the Government upholds media freedom and respects its rights under the Constitution, the content telecast by TV channels must adhere to the provisions of the CTN Act, 1995, including sub-section (2) of Section 20," the advisory further added.

"In the light of the above, television channels are advised to refrain from giving any platform to reports/references about and views/agenda of persons of such background including those against whom there are charges of serious crimes/terrorism and belonging to organizations which have been proscribed by law, having regard to the reasonable restrictions laid down under Article 19(2) of the Constitution and mentioned under sub-section (2) of Section 20 of the CTN Act," the advisory said.

The order is in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations of India with any foreign state, or public order or morality, the advisory said.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannu is a US-based Sikh extremist who heads the Sikhs for Justice Group and was designated as a terrorist in India.