UP govt lifts unofficial ban on Times Now channel

Lucknow, Jan 14:Under pressure, the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday lifted the 'unofficial' ban on English news channel- Times Now - in the state.

The channel was blocked after it telecasted negative news story on Saifai Mahotsav - the controversial Bollywood star night organised by the Samajwadi Party.

The UP government has given no official reason for blacking out the channel for 36 hours. Times Now and Hindi news channel India News were unplugged by cable operators.

However, president of the Cable Service Consumer Protection Committee Ambika Prasad Ojha said: "The telecast of Times Now and India News has been stopped across UP because the CM got offended by their negative coverage of the Saifai Mahotsav."

Information and Broadcasting minister Manish Tewari said, "The ban is reprehensible and uncalled for. We will take action if the channel complains to us. The complaint will be considered on merit, and if any illegality is found, we will take strict action against the erring MSOs (multi-system operators)."

The UP government has been under severe attack from the media and other political parties for spending crores on the grand carnival at Saifai, the home town of the Mulayam Singh Yadav clan, at a time when thousands of riot-affected poor people have been left to fend for themselves in the bitter cold in Muzaffarnagar.

Oneindia News