House panel questions officials over ban on Kerala news channel

It is learned that VSK Kaumudi, Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the MHA, and Apurva Chandra, I&B Secretary, were called by the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, headed by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, and asked about the MediaOne issue.

On January 31, the I&B Ministry, citing denial of security clearance by the MHA, had revoked the uplink and downlink permission granted to Madhyamam Broadcasting Limited which operates MediaOne channel.

The channel approached the Kerala High Court. On Tuesday, a single-judge bench upheld the Centre’s ban on its telecast, saying the MHA decision to deny security clearance to the channel followed intelligence “inputs” and was “justified”. The channel has now approached a division bench of the High Court.

Details of House panel proceedings are not disclosed on the ground that it’s privileged information. The committee has 29 members — 20 from Lok Sabha and 9 from Rajya Sabha.

The agenda of the meeting Wednesday, according to the Lok Sabha website, was on evidence from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and Ministry of Home Affairs representatives on the subject ‘Safeguarding citizens’ rights and prevention of misuse of social/online news media platforms including special emphasis on women security in the digital space’. It also included a briefing by I&B Ministry officials and evidence of MHA on the subject ‘Review of functioning and outreach of Doordarshan Channels’.

Officials in the ministries of Home and I&B declined to comment on the MediaOne issue, saying the matter is sub judice since an appeal has been filed. They pointed out that even the single-judge bench, in its ruling, did not disclose the reasons for denial of security clearance.