Remain vigilant, report any provocative content to ministry, appeals Centre

In strong bid to stop radical views and preaching that could threaten India's social harmony, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu on Monday appealed to both law enforcement agencies and citizens to remain vigilant and report about any such content to his ministry.

Naidu's announcement came in the wake of a ban on 'Peace TV' in which Islamic preacher Zakir Naik's preaching used to be aired. Naik's provocative preaching are said to have inspired some of the militants who carried out the terror attack at a cafe in Bangladesh on July 1.

Naidu said his ministry has written to all state governments, district magistrates and police stations to be alert and proactively curb the spread of extremism.

"The department has now written to all states, district magistrates and superintendents of police that they should take a proactive role and take needed action against the unauthorized downloading and transmitting of unauthorized content," he said.

"As the matter concerns national security and social harmony, I appeal to all law enforcing agencies, please put a strict vigil. I also appeal to the general public, whenever you find something objectionable in a local channel, then SMS to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. We will alert the relevant authorities," he added.

He further said the banning of 'Peace TV' does not arise in India as the channel has not been not granted permission to telecast its content in India.

"We have seen that in recent days this so called peace TV is affecting the peace. Some countries have banned the channel, but here the question does not arise because it is not functioning. If a channel is allowed then it can be banned, it is not permitted at all. They had applied for permission in 2008 and it was rejected," he said.

Naidu also said a team of Home Ministry officials has been formed to look into the matter and the final decision in this regard would be taken after a thorough analysis of the content aired by the channel.

The Bangladesh Government had yesterday decided to stop airing Peace TV along with other unauthorized channels. Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu made the disclosure at a press briefing after a Cabinet committee meeting on law and order.

The move came after it was found that some of the Dhaka cafe attackers, who killed 20 hostages, followed Naik and were inspired by his interpretation of Islam.

The Islamic scholars in Bangladesh had last year demanded a ban on the channel, saying it was misleading Muslims across the world.