Restore broadcast of TV-9, ABN channels: T-BJP

BJP floor leader in Assembly Dr K Laxman on Monday requested Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javedkar to take immediate action to restore broadcast of TV9 and ABN Telugu news channels.

Addressing a press conference here, Dr Laxman said that the broadcast of two Telugu news channels has been stopped in Telangana since two weeks by the MSOs. "There can be no justifiable reasons for anyone to stall the broadcast or block signals of any media channel," he said.

In his letter to Prakash Javedkar, the BJP floor leader said, "While as the leader of the party in the Assembly, I had in strongest words condemned a satire program on legislators by TV9 which went overboard, and have admonished them publicly. However, after their unconditional written apology to the members through a letter to the honrable Speaker of the House, the matter should have been put to rest," he said.

Dr Laxman objected to the attitude of the State Government which stated that it had nothing to do with MSOs' actions. "Till date, no action has been taken against them for illegally blocking the channels for reasons beyond constitutional and legal framework," he said.

Dr Lakman asked Javedkar to initiate action at the earliest to ensure restoration of the broadcast of the two Telugu channels across the State.