The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) sent show cause notices to at least two television news channels on Monday for airing a news briefing by the Pakistan army.
Reports suggest that the notices alleged that the channels ‘violated’ provisions of the Programme Code.
The Indian Express reported that ABP News and Tiranga TV were sent the show cause notices.
The newspaper reported that the notice to Tiranga TV noted that the news channel had violated rules Rule 6 (1) (e) and Rule 6 (1) (h).
The first rule says that programmes that “encourage or incite violence” must not be telecast. The second rule says that no channel should telecast anything that threatens the integrity of the nation.
The press briefing was by Pakistan’s Army spokesperson Asif Ghafoor on the Pulwama terror attack on February 22.
President of Veecon Media, that runs Tiranga TV, Deepak Choudhry told Scroll.in, that it looked like the channel was being targetted and that they did not subscribe Ghafoor’s views in any manner.
This comes after the I&B Ministry had issued an advisory to the media on 14 February saying, “In light of the recent terrorist attack, TV channels are advised to be particularly cautious with regard to any content which is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against maintenance of law and order or which promotes anti-national attitudes;and/ or contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation; and ensure that no such content is telecast which is violative of these Codes.”