Our Correspondent
Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu has said that Government does not infringe the right to freedom of Expression. The minister said, freedom of expression has been guaranteed under the constitution but it has also certain responsibilities.
In an interview to AIR, Naidu said, along with freedom of expression, the security and safety of the country is also paramount. He said, news and views are two different things and while giving news to the people, we have to safeguard the safety and security of our country. Referring to the recent hue and cry over the one day ban on some television channels, the Minister said, there are certain guidelines since 2007. He said, when something goes wrong, there is a mechanism to take care of it.
Mr. Naidu said, this is not the first time that channels were asked to go off air. Earlier on 21 occasions, channels were asked to go off air during the previous governments. He said, now the same people are making hue and cry over the ban on channels Criticizing the Congress party, Mr. Naidu said, the party which had imposed emergency, censorships on the press and amend the constitution to put the opposition members behind the bar in the past, now preaches us on freedom of expression.