Media targeted in UP; Times Now, India News blocked

Lucknow, Jan 14: After

Chief Minister

rapped the media for portraying the

Mahotsav in negative light, two news channels, Times Now and India News were blocked by cable operators, a report by Times of India said.

According to the report in TOI, cable operators in UP were forced to unplug these two news channels after they received orders from the higher ups in the government.

Though, no reason was given as to why the two channels were blocked but President of the Cable Service Consumer Protection Committee Ambika Ojha said that the 'telecast of Times Now and India News has been stopped across UP because the CM was offended by their negative coverage of the Saifai Mahotsav.'

BJP, Cong criticise Yadav govt, want the matter to be probed

Meanwhile, I&B Minister Manish Tewari said that action will be taken if the channels complained to the Ministry. BJP, on the other hand, wants the matter to be probed. "The reason behind blocking Times Now must be investigated," Nirmala Sitharaman told Times Now.

Congress too wanted an investigation and said that this action from the UP government was not justifiable.

UP CM Akhilesh Yadav had defended the Saifai Mahotsav last week saying that the event was a platform for poor artists who could make a living through the mahotsav. On asking him about the Muzaffarnagar riot victims who were in poor conditions in the relief camps, he said that the SP government had done a lot for the riot victims.

OneIndia News