Various press organisations have condemned the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s show-cause notice to the television channels ABP News , NDTV 24x7 and Aaj Tak for their coverage of the hanging of Yakub Memon.
In a joint statement on Saturday, the Press Club of India, the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the Mumbai Press Club, the Guwahati Press Club, the Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists and the Delhi Union of Journalists said the notice was an “attempt to intimidate” the media.
“It is shameful that cable TV rules have been invoked to question the right of the media to air views or do stories that run contrary to the decisions of the government and the Supreme Court on capital punishment in general and Memon’s case in particular. We are shocked that the Ministry is party to such an assault on free speech. The action betrays an insecurity and intolerance on the part of the government,” the statement said. The organisations urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene and withdraw the notices with immediate effect.
