Unable to address the protests calling for safety and security for women from turning against the police and subsequently the Delhi and union governments, the UPA government has now put what is seen as a gag order on live TV coverage of the agitation, in an apparent bid to stifle it by limiting media coverage.

In a communiqué issued this morning, joint secretary (ministry of information and broadcasting) Supriya Sahu said, “All private satellite television channels are advised to scrupulously follow the progarmme code laid down in Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.”

The channels, the “advisory” said, should ensure that they “telecast the matter in a responsible manner with due care, maturity and restraint”.

Sahu noted: “It has been observed that some private satellite news TV channels in their 24X7 coverage have not been showing due responsibility and maturity in telecasting events relating the said demonstration and such a telecast is likely to cause deterioration in the law and order situation, hindering efforts of law enforcing authorities.”

Television channel outside broadcasting (OB) vans were removed from Vijay Chowk this morning for “security reasons”. No media van was allowed near Parliament or near India Gate. With a message broadcast over Delhi Police’s wireless communication around 9.30 am, at least six OB vans were removed immediately.

Over the last few days, between 85 and 100 OB were parked near Parliament for news channels to uplink from Vijay Chowk.

Broadcasters ‘shocked, concerned’

Meanwhile, the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) on Monday expressed shock and concern that several journalists, camerapersons and media crew from different news channels were injured in Sunday’s police action at India Gate. Expensive broadcast equipment was also damaged in the process, the NBA noted.

The NBA claimed that all member-channels have reported the protests from India Gate over the last few days with “great maturity, sensitivity and restraint”. A statement issued by the association said, “Any police action against our reporters is therefore unacceptable and condemned in no uncertain terms. It would be a sad day for the country, and democracy, if any attempt is made to muzzle the media.”

While asserting that that member channels, “and indeed most of the news media”, have condemned the violence that has crept into the protests of late and repeatedly advised restraint and requested for peace and calm, “it is the job of news media to report on events factually and it has done this in a balanced manner”.

With water cannons used on specific media locations and journalists “even with mikes” injured on Sunday, the NBA noted that the media was specifically targeted. In this backdrop, the association made an appeal to the government to “ensure that media is allowed to perform its duty in a free and fearless manner”