NaMo TV: EC seeks details from I&B Min, Cong alleges Modi trampling upon democratic norms
New Delhi, Apr 3: The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice seeking a report from the I&B Ministry on NaMo TV, launched just weeks ahead of the general election, after opposition parties, including the Congress, asked the poll body to direct the ministry to suspend the channel as it was violative of the Model Code of Conduct.
Sources said the EC had issued the notice to the Information and Broadcasting Secretary on Tuesday evening, giving time till Friday evening according to the ministry's request, to submit a report on the channel and its launch.
The EC will take a call on whether it violated the model code after going through the documents the ministry files, the sources added.
Sources in the ministry said they had not come across a file seeking uplinking and downlinking permission for the channel.
Hours after the EC issued notice to the I&B Ministry, the Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of mocking and trampling upon democratic norms by "brazenly" running NaMo TV and asked the poll watchdog to put a stop at this "misuse" of media that seeks to disturb the level-playing field during elections.
The channel carries the picture of Modi on its logo. It was launched on March 31, nearly two weeks after the Model Code of Conduct came into effect and ahead of the Lok Sabha polls beginning April 11.
The channel, available on various DTH and cable TV platforms, broadcast election rallies, speeches of the prime minister and interviews of BJP leaders.
Maintaining that "the contents are being broadcast in complete violation of the rules and regulations of cable televisions", the Congress, in its complaint, said the Union ministry's list of permitted private satellite channels in the country did not mention NaMo TV, so either the channel "Content TV" is being broadcast as a "government-sponsored channel" or lacks official clearance from the ministry.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also complained to the EC, saying the BJP had launched the channel and though a party could have its own channel, it asked the EC if permission could be granted "even after the Model Code of Conduct is enforced".
Though the ruling BJP has maintained that it does not own the channel or the platform, its official Twitter handle had urged people to watch it for the prime minister's election campaign.
Union minister Piyush Goyal had also tweeted about the channel number while asking viewers to watch the prime minister's events.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trampling upon democratic norms in India by running brazenly and blatantly 'NaMo TV'. Isn't the prime minister mocking the Constitution as also every democratic norm?," Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked.
He said by running 'NaMo TV' as an affront to the rule of law, Modi and the BJP were mocking the powers of superintendence and control of election of the EC under Article 324 of the Constitution.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP had recently asked the EC if the BJP had sought an approval for the launch of the channel.
"Can permission be granted to a party to have its own TV channel, even after the model code is enforced? If no permission was given by the ECI, then what action has been taken?," the party had asked in its letter to the poll panel.
According to government sources, the ministry is likely to take a line that it is an advertisement channel which does not require a prior permission and it is run on certain DTH channels on payment made by the BJP.
However, when contacted, there was no immediate reaction from the BJP.
The AAP also asked if the BJP had approached the Media Certification Committee, established to certify content and cost of a telecast.
The EC has also learnt to have written separately to Doordarshan for telecasting live the "Main bhi chowkidar" programme of Modi on March 31 evening for an hour.
The Congress had written to the EC against the BJP's alleged "misuse" of Doordarshan in broadcasting certain speeches by Modi.
The "Main Bhi Chowkidar" programme of the prime minister was broadcast live on DD News and its YouTube channel, and was even promoted on the social media handles of DD News, the Congress memorandum said.
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Punjab CM Mann meets President Murmu, seeks cancellation of membership of 6 RS members
Chandigarh (PTI): Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday met President Droupadi Murmu, demanding the termination of the membership of six Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab who defected to the BJP and also pressed for the introduction of a constitutional provision allowing for the recall of members.
Accompanied by party MLAs and ministers, Mann visited Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi.
This meeting followed a significant setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on April 24, when seven of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs -- Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal -- quit and merged with the BJP, alleging that the party had strayed from its principles, values and core morals. Six of the seven MPs who left AAP hailed from Punjab.
After he met with the President, Mann addressed the media here, describing the departure of the seven MPs as a "murder" of the Constitution. He stated, "Seven MPs merging with another party is completely unconstitutional. I spoke to Rashtrapati ji in detail."
Mann pointed out that he told the President that the BJP holds only two MLA seats (in Punjab), yet now has six MPs in the Rajya Sabha. He questioned, "How can this be possible? Isn't it a mockery of the Constitution?
"If they are such revolutionaries at heart, then they should have resigned from their six seats. The AAP could have sent someone else," Mann said, taking a swipe at them.
He emphasised the need for a recall provision in the Constitution, referencing MP Raghav Chadha's previous demands for such a measure when members fail to meet public expectations.
"Have you lived up to the expectations of the people?" Mann challenged the MPs during his statement.
Mann also presented a letter to the President, signed by all AAP MLAs. He differentiated between the terms 'elected' and 'selected,' stating, "They were 'selected.' Therefore, their membership should be cancelled."
The President assured Mann that she would consult constitutional experts before responding.
Earlier in the day, Mann, along with party MLAs, departed for Delhi from Chandigarh.
Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh, Mann affirmed that all AAP MLAs stand united with the party. "Only I have been given time for the meeting," Mann said.
"The President is the guardian of the Constitution. She is the constitutional head of the country," he added.
Later in a post on X in Hindi, Mann said, "Our struggle to protect Punjab's rights and interests continues. Today, along with all AAP MLAs, I have left to discuss Punjab's burning issues and present the state's strong voice before the President.
As your public servant, our government remains fully committed to Punjab's prosperity and the safeguarding of the rights of every section of society."
The MLAs and ministers gathered at the chief minister's residence in the morning before heading to Delhi, carrying placards that read 'Punjab Mann De Naal' and 'Punjab's Traitors.'
The legislators left for Delhi in buses.
Mann had previously sought an appointment with the President to meet with party MLAs and demand the "recall" of the Rajya Sabha MPs who defected to the BJP. However, only Mann was given a time slot for the meeting.
