TNN | Aug 9, 2015

NEW DELHI: Information and broadcasting ministry's notice to four TV channels — Aaj Tak, ABP News, NDTV 24x7 and NDTV India— for their coverage of Yakub Memon's hanging has been slammed by media associations and eminent citizens who see this is an attempt to intimidate and muzzle the media.

The channels have been accused of casting aspersions on the integrity of the President and judiciary, inciting violence and stoking anti-national sentiment.

Ministry sources said that there was concern over the "tone and tenor" of an interview of gangster Chhota Shakeel that was telecast by Aaj Tak and ABP News. In NDTV's case, the two channels have been pulled up for broadcasting an interview with Yakub Memon's lawyer who felt that the hanging was unjustified.

Official sources said that the coverage projected that something wrong had been done despite the fact that due process of law was followed. The notice, to which the channels have 15 days to respond, says the channels allegedly violated program code section 6 1(d),(e) and (g).

The notices are, however, a departure from the practice of the I&B ministry routing its concerns through self-regulatory bodies like NBSA and BCCC. The Broadcast Editors' Association (BEA) said that the notices had been issued in a "selective manner" on a "questionable pretext". Six journalists' bodies described the decision as "shameful" and an "assault on free speech". Senior SC lawyer Prashant Bhushan said that this was an attempt to "terrorize" the media.

In a statement BEA questioned the selective nature of the notices and said, "The apex body of editors of news channels in India has expressed its dismay over the latest notices reportedly issued to three channels— ABP News, Aaj Tak and NDTV— on the questionable pretext that their coverage pertaining to Yakub Memon's death sentence amounted to contempt of the institution of the President as also the judiciary. The BEA has decided to take up this issue with the government."

The BEA has in its executive committee meeting on Saturday decided to take up the defamation notices issued by the Rajasthan government to Times Now and privilege proceedings initiated by the UP assembly against Aaj Tak. It also raised the issue of coverage of terror operations pointing out that media coverage cannot be restricted to official briefings. Responding to the notice NDTV's executive vice-chairperson KVL Narayan Rao, said, "We have done absolutely nothing wrong. We have received the notice and we are examining it. We will respond to it within the stipulated time."

A broadcaster said that the notices pointed to a worrying trend where the ministry was overlooking the self-regulatory mechanism and taking matters in to their own hands. "This goes against the I&B minister Arun Jaitley's statements that he was in favour of self-regulation," a broadcaster who had been issued a notice said.