Click to play videoNew Delhi: Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi is expected to convene a meeting on Tuesday to review the blackout of news channels in Gujarat after they aired a sting on Godhra riots of 2002.
The sting operation, titled 'Operation Kalank' – conducted by Tehelka and Aaj Tak – showed several riot-accused persons, politicians and prominent advocates purportedly boasting about and confessing the government's participation in the riots.
The District Collector of Ahmedabad ordered the channels off air on October 26. CNN-IBN, IBN7, NDTV and Aaj Tak were taken off air after they aired the sting.
The administration justified the move claiming the channels were violating Clause 5 of the Cable TV Network Regulation Act.
An order issued by the Ahmedabad District Magistrate and District Election Officer Dhananjay Dwivedi said: "From 19:30 hours (IST), onwards, dated 25.10.07, there are programmes like Tehelka-Aaj Tak Khulasa, 'Operation Kalank' and Gujarat ka Sach being telecast on Aaj Tak and IBN7 depicting visuals and statements of people pertaining to the 2002 communal riots. As per Clause 5 of the Cable TV Network Regulation, 1995, no entity can broadcast or re-broadcast any programme, which is not as per programming code."
Subsequently, all these channels went off air in most parts of Gujarat from 1930 hours (IST) on Thursday. The administration claimed it's a violation of Clause 5 of Cable TV Network Regulation, which deals with broadcasting programmes which could create communal tension.
While the channels were put back on air two days later, the move had caused much public outrage.
On Monday, the Nanavati Commission took cognizance of the expose and called a special hearing on the issue to look into the contents of the sting operation.
On Saturday, government pleader for the Nanavati-Shah commission, Arvind Pandya, resigned after he was featured in the sting operation.
Meanwhile, with the state Assembly Elections scheduled for December, Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswamy is to begin a three-day tour of the state on Tuesday.
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