NDTV off air-National security threat not justifiable said committee

The Inter-Ministerial Committee which looked into the matter also noted that this was not the first violation by the channel

New Delhi, Nov 5: A threat to national security cannot be justified on any grounds, the panel that looked into the NDTV ban had said.

The Inter-Ministerial Committee which looked into the matter also noted that this was not the first violation by the channel and there are instances in which the Programme Code of Cable act had been violated.

Sources tell OneIndia that the decision to take the channel off for a day on November 9 instead of 30 days was taken because it felt that NDTV could not get away with the 'huge indiscretion and violation of rules' in its coverage of the Pathankot terror attack.

The source also said that equating this ban to the days of emergency is rubbish. Similar orders numbering 21 had been issued by the UPA government since 2005.

Similar orders issued since 2005:

Sources also said that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had issued similar orders since 2005. During the UPA government's regime 21 orders were issued against different channels which were found to be violating the cable TV rules and programme code guidelines. Bans have been issued between one day to two months, the source also added.

When the decision on NDTV was taken, the committee had noted that the channel had revealed sensitive details like location of ammunition depot and place where terrorists were held up, location of school and residential areas which could have been misused by handlers of the intruders.

This could have jeopardised national security and also lives of civilians and defence personnel, the committee also noted. Moreover the channel had also been given time to explain its side of the story.

OneIndia News