As protests grip Assam, Modi government warns TV channels against showing ‘anti-national attitudes’

The Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry issued an advisory last night asking TV channels to desist from broadcasting content that could incite violence or cause law and order problems. This on a day when states like Assam and Tripura are witnessing violent protests over the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill. While referencing the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act of 1995, the advisory curiously states TV channels must refrain from broadcasting any content that “promotes anti-national attitudes and/or contains anything affecting the integrity of the nation”.

We’re guessing this leaves channels with no option but to show images of jubilant BJP workers celebrating CAB across various states, preferably with a poster of Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A Manipur government circular actually issued such a direction. All is well.