• I&B Minister Naidu is proclaiming an undeclared emergency on TV channels defying Modi and his Govt. 

Modi means 3D – Decisive Dynamic and Development… Modi wants to bring transformation – Reform Perform Transform is Modi’s Motto… ‘There is a mission going on in the country. Modi means not Narendra Modi. It is M O D I – Making of developed India’ … Wherever in the world he goes, people chant ‘Modi! Modi!’ He is god’s divine gift to India…

Any person who is following Venkaiah Naidu’s speeches will be able to relate to these excerpts. Venkaiah Naidu has the gift of the gab; however, his comments are bizarre. Be it BRICS summit or a small conference, Venkaiah allocates enough time to praise Modi, even if it is relevant to the situation or not. The Minister of Information and Broadcasting took a step further and is now seen trying to curb the channels who are speaking against Modi or BJP policies. This is one step ahead of Indira Gandhi. Hope he does not impose emergency like Indira!

The I&B Minister said that bringing in a communication and information policy and working on the film certification bill would be his major priorities for the year 2017. Incidentally Naidu has already hinted on the kind of policies he would get to curb information. If reports are to be believed, Naidu is proclaiming an undeclared emergency on the TV channels defying Modi and his government.

The ministry who brought in accountability in release of government ads, has already stopped release of the government ads to these channels. He is closely scrutinizing the media and even sent notices to mend their ways.

In 2016 I&B worked on simplifying the annual renewal process for existing TV channels as part of ‘Ease of Doing Business’. In fact, now the renewal is basically in hands of Naidu. When the demonetization was announced, all the channels that broadcasted the woes of the common man against Modi’s move are going to face the wrath of Naidu. The reluctance of the TV channels to these notices led the minister to take the matter into his hands. Venkaiah is now closely scrutinizing the licenses of the channels to find a breach and subsequently punish them by cancelling the licenses. There cannot be anything more shameful than this in a thriving democracy.

The I&B Minister might as well declare Narendra Modi as new god and order worshiping him life time. So that the channels can broadcast morning and evening Bhajans of Modi. Hero worship and democracy cannot go hand in hand. While it is yet to be answered if we are moving towards Quasi-Democracy, the response from the fourth pillar of democracy to such political pressures is awaited.