Mumbai, 10 January
The Mumbai Press Club deplores the suspension order passed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) against the TV channel ‘Lokshahi Marathi’. The order dated 09-01-2024, has directed the channel to suspend broadcasting operations for 30 days.
While the grounds cited for suspending operations are ‘technical’, there is no doubt that the dispute raised against Lokshahi Marathi is part of a vendetta aimed at silencing critical and free reporting given under the right to freedom of speech and expression enshrined in Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution of India.
‘Lokshahi Marathi’ was first targeted in September last year after it aired a clip of a politician engaging in ‘phone sex’. On a complaint filed by the politician, the MIB had initially, on 23 September 2023, ordered the suspension of the channel. However, in an interim order, the Delhi High Court stayed the MIB ‘suspension’ order the very next day, and the channel resumed broadcast operations.
Not having succeeded in shutting down the channel, the MIB has now raised new grounds of dispute. The MIB has stated in its order the original uplinking and down-linking licenses had been granted to the entity ‘Zora Traders’ while the current broadcast operations are being conducted by a third party without the permission of the I&B ministry as required under the Cable Regulation Act, 1995.
These technical objections are nothing but a fig leaf for finding fault to shut down the channel as a counterattack for having shown a politician from a ruling party in a poor light. Without commenting on the journalistic ethics on whether the sex life of politicians should be exposed or not, the Press Club finds it strange that there should be crocodile tears for a politician who, day in and day out, is involved in highlighting the wrongdoings of rival politicians and social figures.
The order of suspension against the channel reveals that the defence offered by Lokshahi Marathi has been hardly considered and has been summarily dismissed.
In today’s age of high competition among news channels, a suspension order of 30 days can be the death knell of a TV channel. In the interests of free speech, the Mumbai Press Club demands that the suspension order against Lokshahi Marathi be immediately withdrawn and the channel be allowed to resume operations.
Gurbir Singh
Chairman
Rajesh Mascarenhasas
Hon. Secretary
Mumbai Press Club | T: 022 22622988
