Two Malayalam news channels, Asianet News and Media One have been banned for 48 hours by the Broadcasting Ministry for broadcasting the Delhi violence.
The Delhi violence which happened last week killed 50 people and have injured more than 200. Asianet News and Media One which reported about the violence regularly were banned and the broadcast was suspended at 7.30 pm yesterday.
But at about 1.30 am today, Asianet resumed its broadcast. Media one also started its broadcast in the morning.
The Central Ministry of Broadcasting issued an order stating that the two news channels violated the 1994 rules of television networks. The order said that the violence has been exaggerated in the broadcast and the visuals supported one community.
In addition, the Asianet channel called the attack "communal violence" and its correspondents and reporters said that the central government had approved such violence.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Broadcasting has said that it has analyzed the broadcast copies of the channels and found that the channel has reported that the government could have controlled the violence but did not do it. It also said that many are forced to chat "Jaisriram" during the violence.
Media One TV reportedly focused on the riots of CAA supporters. It is said that both the channels have reported visuals which will instigate more enmity between the two communities involved.
The Congress party has condemned the ban on the Kerala channels. MP Manish Tiwari, posted on his Twitter page, accusing the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for indulging in the media freedom.
Similarly, PC Chidambaram accused the Broadcasting Ministry of making such decisions. PC Chidambaram has said that the banning of these 2 televisions is a disaster for justice and that the ban on televisions should be revoked.