The UP Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution on Thursday, for summoning journalists of two TV channels to appear before it on February 26. The media persons have to give their version about a sting operation aired on September 17, 2013 that blamed Minority Affairs minister, Azam Khan for instigating communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and pressuring the police to release rioteers. The motion was moved by the Speaker, Mata Prasad Pandey which was adopted unanimously after two hours of debate on the issue.
The resolution said that before taking a final decision on the report of the joint committee of the Assembly against the eight indicted journos, they are directed to appear before the Assembly on February 26.
Soon after the telecast of the sting operation, the Assembly had set up a joint committee led by Satish Kumar Nigam of the SP, to probe into the authenticity of the sting operation. The committee indicted seven media persons of two TV channels in its report tabled in the Assembly on February 17. It recommended a case against them under various sections of the IPC including 153A, (promoting enmity between different groups), 295A (outraging religious feelings), 463 and 463 (preparing false documents or electronic records) and 469 (forgery). Charges should also be framed under Sections 200 and 202 of the Cr PC, the report said.
The report also held the channel guilty of violation of clauses of Cable Television Network (Regulation) Act, 1995, and indicted for contempt of the Assembly for refraining to share raw footage with the probe panel.
The UP government has also urged the Centre to act against the channel for violation of Television Network (Regulation) Act 1995.
During the two-hour long debate in the House on Tuesday, Opposition parties including the Congress, BSP and RlD said that before taking a decision on the report, the indicted journalists should be given an opportunity to offer their version in the House.
Sounding a dissenting note, the BJP opposed the contents and findings of the report and walked out from the House during the debate. BJP leader Suresh Khanna said that the entire media should not be maligned for the conduct of a particular channel. The BJP, soon after the setting up of the probe committee in 2013, had withdrawn its member Manish Asijaa. But by walking out, the party only extended its tacit support to the resolution.