Kolkata: Ban on news channel shows emergency-like situation, says Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today criticized the central government for putting a one day ban on a Hindi news channel and said it showed that an "emergency-like situation" prevailed in the country. "NDTV ban is shocking. If Government had issues with Pathankot coverage, there are provisions available. But ban shows an Emergency-like attitude," Banerjee said in a statement. An interministerial panel yesterday concluded that the channel 'NDTV India' had revealed crucial and "strategically sensitive" information when the terror attack on IAF base was being carried out. The Information and Broadcasting ministry while invoking the powers under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act said it "orders to prohibit the transmission or re-transmission of NDTV India channel for one day on any platform throughout India with effect from 00:01 hrs on 9th November,2016 till 00:01 hrs of 10th November, 2016". This is the first ever such order against a TV channel over its coverage of a terror attack, the norms regarding which were notified last year. In its reply, the channel said that it was a case of "subjective interpretation" and that most of the information they had put out was already in public domain in print, electronic and social media.