IB alert: Red-flagged 24 foreign hate channels for spreading anti India sentiments
| Source: News Bharati English Date: 12/7/2012 11:56:14 AM |
New Delhi, December 7: The Intelligence Bureau (IB) has red-flagged 24 ‘illegal’ foreign hate channels for beaming anti-India programmes. Fourteen television channels from Pakistan figure in a list of 24 channels which security agencies have identified as ‘not conducive to the security environment in the country’. Notably preacher Zakir Naik’s ‘Peace TV’ which spread ‘Hatred’ is amongst the list of channels.
IB awakens at last
It is a good sign that at last the Intelligence Bureau has awakened and put an alert on the so called religious channels like Peace TV. It is also indicative that the IB has fully convinced that the illegal foreign channels are producing content which is dangerous for India’s security. Otherwise the Congress and The UPA Government have ignored the harm that was caused to India’s religious harmony.
It is a good sign that at last the Intelligence Bureau has awakened and put an alert on the so called religious channels like Peace TV. It is also indicative that the IB has fully convinced that the illegal foreign channels are producing content which is dangerous for India’s security. Otherwise the Congress and The UPA Government have ignored the harm that was caused to India’s religious harmony.
The IB has said the content of some of these channels poses a potential security hazard. The Pakistani channels are PTV, PTV Home, PTV World, Geo TV, Dawn, Express, Waqat, Q TV, Madni TV, Noor TV, Hadi TV, Aaj, Filmax and STV.
Out of the other ten, there are two from Nepal (one identified as Nepal, and the other as Kantipur), and one channel each from Bangladesh (NTV Bangladesh), Maldives (TV Maldives), Bhutan (Bhutan Broadcasting Service), and there is a United Kingdom-based channel, Ahmedia Channel. Other channels from Arab countries are Peace TV from Dubai, and Saudi TV. The origin of ARY TV and XYZ TV has not been mentioned.
Religious channels spread hate
Most hate channels focus on news or religious affairs. Pakistani TV channels identified as being stridently anti-India are available in Jammu Kashmir and Punjab. Other TV channels that are illegally down-linked into India and are known to spew malicious content include Peace TV (Dubai), Saudi TV, TV Maldives, NTV (Bangladesh), XYZ TV, Nepal TV, Kantipur (Nepal), Ahmedia Channel (UK-based) and Bhutan Broadcasting Service.
These channels are watched in the north-eastern states and in areas bordering Nepal.
In the name of ‘Peace’
Channels like QTV and Indian preacher Zakir Naik-run Peace TV are also available through cable TV operators in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Many cable operators are unaware that it is illegal to air these channels.
In the name of ‘Peace’, Hate mongers like Dr. Zakir Naik are producing programmes intended to create religious hate and spread disharmony. Dr. Naik is instigating religious sentiments by asking questions which not only instigate listeners but they provoke the Muslims against Hindus and India.
Unverified reports on the desecration of the holy Quran telecast on Iran TV, an illegally downloaded channel, had sparked violent protests in Jammu and Kashmir. The channel is banned in the Valley. Indian viewers are drawn to the illegally shown TV channels because of the entertainment programmes they show. For instance, Pakistan's official broadcaster PTV has a dedicated following for its highly popular drama and comedy shows. But, it is illegal in India. The channel was banned following the Kargil conflict and increased terrorist activities in India a decade ago.
Al Jazeera News which had figured in a list disclosed in Parliament earlier this year does not figure in the latest list issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.
While 16 states and five union territories have set up monitoring committees, these have also been set up in 274 districts. The ministry has proposed certain amendments in the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 to deal with carriage of illegal channels and to make their transmission a cognizable offence. The Standing Committee on Information Technology has already submitted its report on this bill to the Parliament.
Hate channels which are illegally down-linked and freely available to viewers near the India-Pakistan and north-eastern borders have become important weapons in the psychological war against India, reports the Daily Mail.
Ajit Doval, former director of the Intelligence Bureau told the Daily Mail that if these channels are indulging in anti-national and seditious activities which are detrimental to the security of the country, then the government should take suitable legal action and a technological response to counter them."
The Daily Mail report says that the potential for mischief by these channels was serious enough for the government to concede in Parliament, “The content of some of these channels is not conducive to the security environment in the country and poses a potential security hazard.”
The government's move to block the channels follows a spate of communal incidents in Uttar Pradesh, Hyderabad, Assam, Srinagar, Mumbai and other parts of India in recent months following motivated reports. However, the authorities find it difficult to jam all channels. Encouraged by this lack of control and easily available in the border areas and even elsewhere, these channels are brought into homes via cable TV
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