Kochi: The Union Government barred Monday the telecast of Malayalam news channel ‘MediaOne’ citing ‘security reasons’. However, the Kerala High Court stayed the implementation of the order on ‘MediaOne’ for two days. The Centre’s move drew the ire of many with the Opposition Congress terming the move as ‘undemocratic’.
“The telecast of ‘MediaOne’ channel has once again been disallowed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), Government of India, citing security reasons. The Government has not been forthcoming with the details,” Pramod Raman, the editor of ‘MediaOne’, said in a statement here.
When contacted, I&B ministry officials confirmed that the channel has been banned but did not share any further details.
The media house challenged the order before the Kerala High Court which put on hold its implementation for two days. While putting on hold the order, Justice N Nagaresh also sought the Centre’s stand on the plea moved by ‘Madhyamam Broadcasting Ltd’ which operates ‘MediaOne’ channel.
Senior advocate S Sreekumar and advocate K Rakesh, who represented the media group, told the high court that the channel was not involved in any anti-national activity. He urged the court to direct the ministry to withdraw the order.
Speaking to this agency, Rakesh said the ministry’s order was received around 1.00pm Monday. The plea was filed by 1.45pm and by 3.00pm permission was granted for urgent hearing of the matter. He confirmed that the court put on hold the order till Wednesday, the next date of hearing.
Assistant Solicitor General S Manu, who appeared for the ministry, said he opposed the plea and sought time from the court to get appropriate instructions from the Centre. Therefore, the court listed the matter for Wednesday and till then put on hold the implementation of the order, he added.
‘MediaOne’, along with another Malayalam News channel, ‘Asianet’, was briefly suspended for 48 hours over their coverage of communal violence in Delhi in 2020. The official orders then said they covered the violence in a manner that ‘highlighted the attack on places of worship and siding towards a particular community’.