The Centre alleged there was “a deep-rooted conspiracy” behind the Tehelka sting to flare up communal passions and polarise the electorate in the run-up to the elections.
Government launches probe into the episode on Gujarat riots
NEW DELHI: The Centre alleged on Wednesday there was “a deep-rooted conspiracy” behind the Tehelka sting on the 2002 Gujarat riots to flare up communal passions and polarise the electorate in the run-up to the elections in the state.
Information and broadcasting minister PR Dasmunsi told the Rajya Sabha during question hour that a probe had been launched into the “connivance” between certain people in Delhi and Gujarat and the truth would be brought before the House. Dasmunsi said state-run Gujarat Fertilizer was also involved in the episode, but did not give details. Amid protests from CPI(M) and SP members, accusing the Centre of shielding the Gujarat government, the BJP let its opponents sort it out among themselves.
Dasmunsi was replying to a question on banning TV channels from airing the Tehelka expose. Defending the Ahmedabad collector’s action, he said, “After a careful study, I have found that the Ahmedabad collector did the right thing. May be there was an agenda (in telecasting) the expose to create communal disharmony.”
Dasmunsi added that the channel banned by the Ahmedabad collector was told to file a written complaint against the ban, but it has so far not made any complaint.
He said, “We gathered that just on the eve of election notification, something is expected very suddenly… on the eve of election notification, another thing was being planned by some other channel to focus it and twist the mind… the horrifying story of 2002.”
“Ahmedabad collector Dhananjay Dwivedi did the right thing. I support it,” Dasmunsi said, adding that he or the UPA government was not against highlighting the happenings during the 2002 Gujarat riots but the timing of the broadcast smacked of a deeper conspiracy.
He said a company called Infinium used OB vans and internet to encroach upon and access channels operating through cable network regulation and the satellite on mandatory prime programme or non-prime band. Suddenly, be it STAR TV, be it NDTV or any other channel, started projecting Bande Gujarat, an entertainment and campaign programme of the Gujarat government.
Infinium, he said, misused its VSAT license by using OB vans to block prime-time programmes of regular television channels to air Vande Gujarat. A departmental investigation has been launched, he said.
Responding to allegations of members from the Left, TDP and SP that the minister was trying to shield misdeeds of the Narendra Modi government, Dasmunsi said the Congress party was second to none in defending secularism. As for the ban on the Vande Gujarat channel, Dasmunsi said he was examining the circumstances in which it had obtained a DoT licence.
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