The unofficial banning of two major television channels – TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyothy by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government has gone very far and led to the intervention of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.
Following intense lobbying by TV9 using its CEO Ravi Prakash’s clout with Modi during his regime in Gujarat, the Prime Minister asked I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar to resolve the crisis.
Javadekar on Tuesday called Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao and asked him to see that the airing of the two channels was restored.
In the morning, Telangana BJP unit submitted a memorandum to Governor E S L Narasimhan to take necessary measures for restoration of the two Telugu channels, which were blocked out by MSOs in the State.
A delegation of BJP leaders led by Dr K Laxman said it was nothing but gagging voice of the media. The State government till date had not taken any action for illegally blocking the channels for reasons beyond constitutional and legal framework.
