Govt bans 2 Malayalam channels for 48 hours over Delhi riots coverage

New Delhi, Mar 06: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry on Friday, 6 March, suspended the broadcast of two Kerala-based news channels (Media One TV channel and Asianet News TV channel) for 48 hours over their coverage of the violence in northeast Delhi saying such reportage could enhance communal disharmony.

The 48-hour ban on the two channels will be effective from 7.30 PM on Friday (5 March) till 7.30 PM on 8 March.

The two channels - Media One and Asianet News TV - were earlier issued a show cause notice and after they filed their replies, the ministry found them to be in violation of the Programme Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.

The government order expressed dissatisfaction on reports broadcast by the two channels on the recent carnage in Delhi.

The two TV channels were accused of covering the violence in Delhi 'in a manner which highlighted the attack on places of worship and sided towards a particular community.'

The order read, "Channel's reporting on Delhi violence seems to be biased as it is deliberately focusing on the vandalism of CAA supporters."

"Such telecast could incite violence & pose danger to maintenance of law & order situation, particularly when the situation is already highly volatile & charged up & riots are taking place in the area with reports of killings & bloodbath," the notification added.

Earlier on Friday, a Delhi court sent suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain to seven-day police custody in connection with the Ankit Sharma murder case.

The death toll due to the violence in northeast Delhi last week rose to 53 on Thursday. Forty four deaths have been reported from the GTB hospital, five from RML hospital, three from LNJP hospital and one from Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital.