The Hindu : National : Tehelka expose telecast to be probed

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Thursday, Nov 29, 2007
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Tehelka expose telecast to be probed

Sandeep Joshi

NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister P. R. Dasmunsi on Wednesday said there was some “deep-rooted” conspiracy behind the telecast of the Tehelka expose on Gujarat riots of 2002 just before the Assembly elections. An investigation into the episode was being conducted.

Speaking during the question hour in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Dasmunsi said it seemed there was some connivance between certain people in Delhi and Ahmedabad to polarise society and flare up communal passions in the just before the elections. “A group has been constituted that is probing the matter and soon the House will be informed of its outcome.”

Defends Collector

He defended the Ahmedabad Collector Dhananjay Dwivedi for banning TV channels from airing the expose. Under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act passed by Parliament, collectors had the power to ban telecasts of material found endangering peace and harmony. “No other collector in Gujarat except Mr. Dwivedi showed the courage to ban the telecast of the expose. Even the Election Commission later approved of his action,” the Minister added.

Stating that the role of State-run Gujarat Fertilizer, allegedly involved in the case, was being probed, Mr. Dasmunsi said a company called Infinium that had a licence from the Department of Telecommunications used outdoor broadcast (OB) vans and various fibre optic networks to downlink signals of the channel “Vande Gujarat” from the internet and broadcast it during prime time.

Infinium misused its licence by using OB vans to block prime-time programmes of regular television channels to air Vande Gujarat.

He refuted charges levelled by the Opposition members that he was trying to shield the Modi Government.

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