The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, 10 April, admitted that the NaMo App, which includes the NaMo TV feature, is run by the party’s IT Cell.
“NaMo TV is a feature of NaMo app which is run by BJP IT cell. (The) Party has taken slots on DTH for which provisions are there to show it,” Amit Malviya, the head of BJP IT Cell told The Indian Express.
Malviya’s statement comes after the Election Commission said the ban on the release of the biopic on Prime Minister Narendra Modi during poll season also applies to the broadcasting of NaMo TV, a 24x7 channel which focuses only on the speeches and rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leaders of the BJP.
“We have not yet received the circular from the Election Commission. Once we get it, we will look into it, and respond in detail,” Malviya told the newspaper.
Interestingly, when asked about the channel by the media last week, PM Narendra Modi vaguely asserted that “some people are running it.”
In an interview to ABP News, Modi said:
“Yes, some people are running it. I haven’t been able to see it. I don’t get the time.”
A senior official of the poll panel, on Wednesday, referred to a paragraph in the EC order which said, "that any poster or publicity material concerning any such certified content, which either depicts a candidate (including prospective) for the furtherance (or purported to further) of electoral prospects, directly or indirectly, shall not be put on display in electronic media in the area where MCC is in force."
The EC banned the release of Vivek Oberoi-starrer PM Narendra Modi, saying any such film that the serves purpose of any political entity or individual should not be displayed in the electronic media. The movie was originally expected to release on Thursday, 11 April, the day of the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
The Many Controversies of NaMo TV
Ever since NaMo TV was launched on all major DTH channels, it has sparked questions on its legality and ownership.
Here’s all you need to know about the NaMo TV controversy:
- NaMo TV doesn’t feature on the list of Permitted Private Satellite TV Channels, as declared by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on 31 March 2019.
- In fact, I&B Ministry sources have been quoted as saying that NaMo TV has not even applied for a broadcast licence.
- Since NaMo TV is not on the I&B Ministry’s list of approved channels, there is no information about who owns it, whether the owners have security clearance or are adhering to rules of foreign investment for TV channels.
- Since the controversy broke out, Tata Sky tweeted that “NaMo TV is a Hindi news service.” But later, the Tata Sky CEO speaking to NDTV claimed NaMo TV is not a news channel, but a special services channel.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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