Following the violent clash between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party in South Delhi’s Tughlakabad area on January 3, Delhi Police has prohibited shooting of TV debates in public spaces. The clash left at least 12 people injured. A decision in this regard was taken during a meeting of the Delhi Police brass, as it was observed that shoots of such nature often lead to troubles. The instructions forbidding TV debates in public have been conveyed to all district DCPs, a senior official said on Sunday.
Following the orders from the police headquarters, all district DCPs have started cancelling any such requests of news channels. Certain representatives of TV channels also met Special Commissioner (law & Order) Deepak Mishra and Police Commissioner BS Bassi with their pleas, but the decision remains unmoved. When television reporters asked Bassi about the virtual ban on shoot of such debates, he said, “We always seek your cooperation, in this issue also we are taking your support so that law and order can be maintained in a better way. You are helping us by not holding debates on streets and doing them at halls and studios.”
“Where there is a one-on-one confrontation, a debate, tempers do run high. This is a precaution (to maintain law and order) and you are helping us in this regard for which I am thankful to you,” he added. Senior police officials maintained that TV channels invite the candidates of the various parties along with their supporters for such shoots during which, amid allegations and counter allegations, things gradually heat up and usually end up in harsh confrontations.
“We have seen many times that such shoots end up in open confrontation leading to a law and order situation where we have to do the mop-up job,” said a senior police official. “We already have our hands full with security arrangements for Republic Day celebrations where