BENGALURU: “Please verify your facts and exercise caution and restraint, while telecasting news on the murder of RSS activist Rudresh and the forthcoming Tipu Jayanti on November 10 or be prepared to face prosecution,” is the new advisory from the City police Commissioner N.S. Megharikh to all visual media channels/cable TV networks in the city.
The two page advisory, which was issued for the sake of ‘national interest’ on Friday by the police chief in exercise of the powers vested on him under Section 2(a) (iii) and Section 19 of the ‘Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 has advised the visual media/cable TV networks to ‘scrupulously’ follow the provisions of ‘Programme Code and Advertising Code’ as prescribed under the ‘Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, ‘verify’ facts and not sensationalize them.
“It has come to the notice of the Commissioner of Police, Bengaluru City that in the wake of the recent sensational murder of RSS activist Rudresh and the subsequent arrest of the accused belonging to the Popular Front of India (PFI) and the celebration of Tipu Jayanti on November 10, certain TV channels have been telecasting provocative and inciting news reports and programmes, which may cause disaffection among the public, ignite communal tensions resulting in serious law and order situation in Karnataka, especially Bengaluru,” the advisory stated.
Megharikh has appealed to the TV channels to be cautious in the choice of words in their news reporting on the highly communally sensitive issues and has warned that any violation of the advisory will attract prosecution under the provisions of the Cable Televisions Networks (Regulation) Act.
