'Is this emergency 2': Asks Derek O' Brien on I&B advisory to media

Slamming the government over its advisory to media houses against airing contents that may promote "anti-national attitudes", the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday asked if it was "emergency 2".

The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory on Wednesday to private satellite TV channels to be particularly cautious about airing contents that are likely to incite violence, promote "anti-national attitudes" and contain anything affecting the integrity of the nation.

The advisory was issued after some TV channels beamed footage of violent protests in the Northeast against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill that was passed by Parliament on Wednesday.

"Is censorship happening in India? Is this emergency 2? The government is trying to intimidate the media by issuing these advisories. These channels cannot telecast anything anti-national, the advisory says. But what is anti-national?