Malayalam news channel Asianet News has begun telecasting hours after the ministry of information and broadcasting announced a 48-hour ban on it on Friday evening for allegedly covering the violence in Delhi in a biased manner.
The ministry of information and broadcasting had imposed a 48-hour ban on Asianet News and Media One, another Malayalam news channel, for their coverage of the Delhi violence for 48 hours from 7.30pm on Friday.
It is yet unclear whether the Centre has formally lifted the ban on Asianet News. Interestingly, Media One services are apparently still suspended.
On Friday, the government cited a report of Asianet News correspondent P.R. Sunil to claim coverage of the channel on the violence was done in a manner “which highlighted the attack on places of worship and siding towards a particular community”.
Both Asianet News and Media One were barred under Rule 6(1 c) and Rule 6(1 e) of the Cable Television Networks Act, 1994.
Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi after violence between anti-and-pro-Citizenship (Amendment) Act groups spiralled out of control. Frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at local residents and police personnel, leaving at least 42 people dead and around 200 injured.