Jammer deprive live telecast of Narendra Modi's rally in the city

A jammer placed behind the dais from where BJP leader Narendra Modi addressed a rally here prevented nationwide live telecast of his speech as all towers were cut off.

Five Tamil television channels and two English channels had positioned their cameras and OB Vans for live telecast of the event but the sudden installation of a jammer slowed down the Net and totally cut it off a little later.

A top official said the department had given permission for the live telecast but Gujarat police and the Bomb Squad had opposed it and placed the jammer.

They pointed out that live telecasts of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa or DMK president M Karunanidhi, who had campaigned here some days ago, had not been jammed.

They countered the contention of police that this was carried out due to perceived threat to the BJP leader and this city, (where a series of bomb blasts had occurred in 1998) and pointed out that rallies in Salem and Krishnagiri in the state and elsewhere in the country had not been blocked.