The Indian Information and Broadcasting Ministry has warned cable television operators Jammu & Kashmir from broadcasting any content from private TV channels based in Islamic nations like Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Malaysia.
As per an advisory issued by the Union Ministry for Information & Broadcasting, cable TV operators have been reminded of their obligations under the Cable TV Rules.
The note reads – It has come to the notice of this Ministry that some private channels which are not permitted by this Ministry are being transmitted by some cable operators on their networks. This is a clear violation of the sub-rules 6(6) under Cable TV Rules under Programme code and needs to be acted upon immediately.
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The advisory, which is signed by Vikram Sahay, joint secretary in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, has warned cable TV operators in Jammu and Kashmir that if they break the rules they could face disciplinary action including withdrawal of license/permission and confiscation of equipment.
Sahay, who is the joint secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, told the operators that they are violating the law by airing channels from ‘Muslims’ countries, especially Iran, Turkey and Malaysia.
Sahay was told that while no channel from Malaysia was being aired in the Valley, Sehar TV, a religious channel of Iran, was being aired as it is watched by the Shia community.
The operators also told the officer that Al-Arabiya channel-run by Saudi Arabia-was also being aired. The official said that both, Al-Arabiya and Sehar TV shouldn’t be aired in the region.
