BJP assails government over TV news channel licence norms
BJP on Monday asked the Centre to drop its proposal to withhold renewal of licence to TV news channels
By ET Bureau | Updated:
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Monday asked the Centre to drop its proposal to withhold renewal of licence to TV news channels violating advertising or broadcasting code, saying it amounted to invasion of freedom of expression. “This is a plain and simple invasion of the freedom of the press.
Any citizen of India has a right to start a newspaper or a news channel, provided he has the financial muscle to do so,” BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, reacting to reports that the information and broadcasting ministry has decided to tighten norms for channels.
Jaitley hit out hard at the government saying it is trying to discipline the media because it is troubled by its independence. “This is clearly unconstitutional. An invasion of the freedom of expression and freedom of media.
The object of this is that somehow hard steps must be taken so that the media can be disciplined to fall in line because the government seems to be troubled by the independence of the media,” he alleged.
He said the only restriction on the right can be what is provided in the Constitution which concern areas like public order, national sovereignty and relations with other countries. Asserting that the rights can only be regulated by the government, he said withholding of licence would be unreasonable on the ground that on some occasion, the government has found a channel guilty of violating an advertising code or a broadcasting code.
“To say the government has found a violation of code would mean it has the power to first declare you guilty and then take away your right to telecast and disseminate news to the world at large,” he said.
Any citizen of India has a right to start a newspaper or a news channel, provided he has the financial muscle to do so,” BJP leader Arun Jaitley said, reacting to reports that the information and broadcasting ministry has decided to tighten norms for channels.
Jaitley hit out hard at the government saying it is trying to discipline the media because it is troubled by its independence. “This is clearly unconstitutional. An invasion of the freedom of expression and freedom of media.
The object of this is that somehow hard steps must be taken so that the media can be disciplined to fall in line because the government seems to be troubled by the independence of the media,” he alleged.
He said the only restriction on the right can be what is provided in the Constitution which concern areas like public order, national sovereignty and relations with other countries. Asserting that the rights can only be regulated by the government, he said withholding of licence would be unreasonable on the ground that on some occasion, the government has found a channel guilty of violating an advertising code or a broadcasting code.
“To say the government has found a violation of code would mean it has the power to first declare you guilty and then take away your right to telecast and disseminate news to the world at large,” he said.
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