'Effort To Gag Media': Kerala CM Vijayan, Others Condemn MediaOne Suspension

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry had ordered the suspension citing 'security reasons.'

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

(Photo: PTI)

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday, 31 January, condemned the Information and Broadcasting Ministry's suspension of broadcast of Malayalam news channel 'MediaOne.'

"The sudden suspension of Mediaone channel’s broadcast is a serious matter. Freedom of expression is a fundamental right ensured by the constitution. This should not be curtailed," Vijayan said.

"There should be a space for expression of different opinions in public sphere…It is not clear why MediaOne’s operations were stopped. If there were any serious issues, they should have been examined and rectified within the scope of the constitution. It is important not to violate Article 19 of the Constitution in the process. An effort to gag media should not arise in the country."

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan

Congress Leader and Kerala Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said, "The ban on Mediaone’s broadcast should be immediately revoked. I strongly condemn the decision of the central government to hinder the broadcast of MediaOne, a leading channel in Kerala."

"This is an affront to democracy and media freedom. This is the second time that such an act is being done. This effort of the BJP and RSS to infringe on media freedom should be condemned. The order issued by Information and Broadcast Ministry should be revoked with immediate effect," he said.

Meanwhile, Kerala CPI(M) criticised the move as an attempt to rein in media. "This is an attempt to control media. This decision of I&B should be protested. It is condemnable," the party said.

I&B Ministry Takes News Channel 'MediaOne' Off Air, HC Temporarily Defers Order

The Kerala High Court had deferred the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's order from Monday, 31 January, which had suspended the broadcast of Malayalam news channel 'MediaOne.' MediaOne stopped broadcast at 12 noon on Monday.

The channel came back on air at 7 pm, after the HC issued the deference order. The I&B order is deferred till 2 February, the day the case is posted for hearing.

The ministry had ordered the suspension citing 'security reasons.' As per the order, a copy of which is with The Quint, which was issued on 31 January, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had cancelled the "security clearance" of the channel.

The order was addressed to Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited, the parent company of MediaOne. The group is owned by Jamaat-e-Islami.