Don’t Give Platform To Terrorists, Criminals: Govt Advisory To TV News Channels

New Delhi: The Central government issued an advisory on Thursday asking television channels to refrain from giving a platform to those people who are accused of serious crimes, terrorism, or belong to organisations banned by the government.

“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 organisation which has been proscribed by law in India, was invited for a discussion on a television channel,” the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting said in a statement.

The government said that the person invited for discussion “made several remarks which were detrimental to the sovereignty and 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.”

The ministry said that while the government upholds the freedom of press, the content telecast by TV channels have to adhere to the provisions laid under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.

“Television channels are advised to refrain from giving any platform to reports/references about and views/agenda of persons against whom there are charges of serious crimes/terrorism and belonging to organisations which have been proscribed by law,” the I & B ministry said.