Sun blackout may send out wrong signals, fear netas
"There may be a difference of approach, which is alright in a democracy, but the final decision on the matter will only be taken collectively,"
By Himanshi Dhawan, TNN | Updated:
NEW DELHI: The spectre of the Emergency and the subsequent clampdown on media is weighing heavy on government mandarins who reason that equating economic offences with threat to national security and denying security clearance to Kalanidhi Maran-promoted Sun TV would be akin to challenging an individual's constitutional right to freedom of speech.
The Modi government's senior leadership is aware that at a time when the 40th anniversary of the Emergency is being commemorated, it would not send the right signal either domestically or internationally to appear riding roughshod over the media.
These concerns come against the backdrop of reports that the ministries of home affairs and information and broadcasting differed on the grant of security clearance to Sun TV network.
Top sources in I&B ministry said the Sun TV case could open a legal minefield because a precedent was being set of presumption of guilt before being proved in a court of law. The ministry is also concerned that if the home ministry's hypothesis is accepted, it could lead to domino effect on other media companies facing similar economic charges. These concerns are likely to be part of the consultations between the two ministries in the coming days.
The home ministry has denied security clearance to 33 channels of the Sun TV group on three counts - alleged involvement of the Maran brothers in the 2G scam-related Aircel-Maxis case, alleged money laundering case against Sun TV and the alleged 300-line exchange at Marans' home when Dayanidhi Maran was Union communications minister.
Sources, however, said a final decision on the matter would be taken "collectively" even as reports suggested that the two ministries concerned had taken diverging views on the issue. "There may be a difference of approach, which is alright in a democracy, but the final decision on the matter will only be taken collectively," a source said.
The I&B ministry had also sought attorney general Mukul Rohatgi's opinion who is reported to have said that security clearance could be granted as agencies were probing cases related to corruption and not security. Hence, he said, corruption cases could not be the ground to deny security clearance.
The Modi government's senior leadership is aware that at a time when the 40th anniversary of the Emergency is being commemorated, it would not send the right signal either domestically or internationally to appear riding roughshod over the media.
These concerns come against the backdrop of reports that the ministries of home affairs and information and broadcasting differed on the grant of security clearance to Sun TV network.
Top sources in I&B ministry said the Sun TV case could open a legal minefield because a precedent was being set of presumption of guilt before being proved in a court of law. The ministry is also concerned that if the home ministry's hypothesis is accepted, it could lead to domino effect on other media companies facing similar economic charges. These concerns are likely to be part of the consultations between the two ministries in the coming days.
The home ministry has denied security clearance to 33 channels of the Sun TV group on three counts - alleged involvement of the Maran brothers in the 2G scam-related Aircel-Maxis case, alleged money laundering case against Sun TV and the alleged 300-line exchange at Marans' home when Dayanidhi Maran was Union communications minister.
Sources, however, said a final decision on the matter would be taken "collectively" even as reports suggested that the two ministries concerned had taken diverging views on the issue. "There may be a difference of approach, which is alright in a democracy, but the final decision on the matter will only be taken collectively," a source said.
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The I&B ministry had also sought attorney general Mukul Rohatgi's opinion who is reported to have said that security clearance could be granted as agencies were probing cases related to corruption and not security. Hence, he said, corruption cases could not be the ground to deny security clearance.
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