Date:28/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/10/28/stories/2007102861301000.htm

National

My orders were misinterpreted, says Collector

Ahmedabad: Channels of three major TV networks was blacked out for the third day on Saturday in Ahmedabad district as a fallout of the Tehelka sting on post-Godhra riots, even as the administration appeared to wash its hands of this controversial action.

As Aaj Tak, CNN-IBN and NDTV faced the ire of the government, District Collector Dhananjay Dwivedi, who placed restrictions on them, said his instructions were misinterpreted. Mr. Dwivedi also sought to put the onus on the cable TV operators to resume the transmission.

“The instructions were misinterpreted. It was clearly stated to the cable operators that only the particular news programme on the sting operation on the post-Godhra riot incidents and other such programmes should not be shown. There was no ban on the networks showing other programmes,” Mr. Dwivedi told PTI. He said the instructions given three days ago were very clear and in spite of this, the channels and the cable operators acted in a hasty manner and stopped transmitting any news bulletin.

“As long as they are not telecasting the communally sensitive programme and others of the same category, they are welcome to resume transmission any time,” he said. — PTI