Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday assured that he would convey the concerns of the media about the one-day ban on NDTV to the Information and Broadcasting Minister and added that he would also request that reasons behind the action should be conveyed to the media.
“I will convey your apprehensions and worries to the I&B Minister. But I feel that apart from violating guidelines pertaining to such coverage, this issue has something to do with security. Therefore, I will also tell them that the reasons behind it should be conveyed to the media," Mr. Parrikar told The Hindu during a media interaction in Panaji.
Mr. Parrikar was asked to comment on the contraditiction wherein he along with the Goa Chief Minister was publicly acknowledging awards given by a news media house and on the other hand his government was imposing ban on a national news channel, which has reminded many people about censorship of Emergency days.
He recalled that the previous government had issued an order after the 2008 Mumbai attacks that anti-terror operations should not be broadcast live.
"If you show it live, then terrorists can get information and their handlers provide that information. It appears that those guidelines were violated by giving live operational details of Pathankot. It appears," Mr. Parrikar said.
Later, on the sidelines of a function, he said that the action against the news channel was not a ban, but that the news channel will be temporarily off the air.
He indicated that the information he had was that because a live operation was shown, because of security concerns, the issue was raised. He said that 21 such incidents have occurred over the last five years during which channels were penalised for different reasons.
Ï will surely convey your concern to I&B Minister, let me not say anything more on the issue," Mr. Parrikar said
