By Gagandeep Ahuja
##ad_1##PATIALA: The Day and Night TV channel promoted by Kanwar Sandhu former Resident Editor of Hindustan Times and The Indian Express has became first victim of fued between SAD President Sukhbir Badal and his cousin former Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal. The channel has been blocked in Punjab.
Day and Night channel was started two months back by Kndhari Group with Kanwar Sandhu as its poster boy. Kanwar Sandhu who is considered an upright and no-nosence editor/journalist had tried to present a balanced view on Sukhbir-Manpreet dispute, well knowing that cable network in Punjab is controlled by Sukhbir Badal's well wishers. In fact there was a serious debate three years back over acquiring control of cable network by ruling party.
The latest, the channel has shown the press conference of Manpreet Badal on Wednesday very extensively. Kanwar Sandhu had also interviewed Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and asked certain embarrassing but interesting questions. When Badal claimed that super speciality facilities are available for treatment of cance patients in Punjab, Kanwar Sandhu had asked him then why he took his ailing wife Surinder Kaur to USA for cancer treatment.
Kanwar Sandhu, when contacted, confirmed that cable network, which was allegedly controlled by state government, has stopped telecasting their channels trough cable network in state.
Sandhu said that they were telecasting all the reports in balancing way.
Day and Night is not the only channel which has became target of ruling party. Earlier, the ZEE Punjabi and ETC Punjabi were blocked on cable network,Romila Sharma Business Head of Zee Punjabi and ETC Punjabi, had described the action an Infringement of Fundamental Right - Right to freedom (Freedom of Press and Freedom of speech and expression)-Section 19 (1) a without knowing that these sections are irrelevant in Punjab. The Zee Punjabi had carried an interview of Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira blaming that SAD-BJP government had over-powered the cable network.
Since the time it was reflected in the news bulletins issued by DD Punjabi and Zee Punjabi News; Zee Punjabi was completely blacked out in the entire region of Punjab as the aftermath of this telecast of the story !
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Romila Sharma's statement said, "In consonance with this, as a network channel it has been have come to know that as part of the conspiracy, DIGI cable network operators are not carrying Zee Punjabi to any part of Punjab. This in-turn means that the common man in Punjab is deprived of free entertainment, free information and free education which is integral to our fundamental rights apart from hampering our fare business interests in the region. As per our track records of so many years, we always earnestly try and adhere to the prescribed media norms and ethics and thereby provide free and unbiased infotainment to one and all. Not only is this illegal for a govt to have a stake in an acting media, they also play filthy games by obstructing the distribution of our channels and deliberately putting many of them on the UHF band, a clear violation & mockery of our democratic rights".
She stated, "We would like to remind here that it is not the first time that media has been gagged in this manner. Earlier also Mr. Roop Sharma, President, Cable operators federation of India, had alleged that the Badal family was behind snipping off the popular channel ‘Punjab Today’ in 2007. He had forwarded the case to the then I&B minister; Mr. Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, where allegations were made that Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of Mr. Prakash Singh Badal used unethical and unlawful means to threat cable operators and disrupt the operations of the cable networks in the Punjab region".
All these channels are however available on DTH network of various operators.
