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Chandigarh: The ruling Shiromani Akali dal and BJP government in Punjab are gagging the voice of media. Alleging Government sponsored action in the black out of Zee Punjabi news channel, S Charanjit Singh Channi, Leader of opposition, said that the S Parkash Singh Badal and S Sukhbir Singh Badal have personal interests in the cable business in Punjab. They have total monopoly over this business and threaten the news channels to show only pro Akali Dal propaganda. Any channel which airs anything against the Chief minister, deputy chief minister and others members of their family is blacked out and taken off air. The Zee Punjabi news channel has also paid the price for airing the voice of people of Punjab, which the Badals are not used to. This is gagging the voice of media, which is quite free in this country and termed as the fourth pillar of democracy.
Channi also wrote a letter to the Hon’ Governor of Punjab and requested him to kindly intervene in the matter and make sure that the Channel is restored immediately. He also requested him to kindly ensure that such things don’t happen in the near future and the voice of media is not scuttled by vested interests.
Coming down on Badals, S Channi said that this has not happened for the first time earlier also many news channels were forced to shut down under the pressure of the main cable operator who is close associate of the Badals. The owners of different news channels had to even move to the courts to get relief but to no avail because the Badals have personal business interests. Channi alleged that the Badals have not only flourished in their business interests in the last ten year rule but the state exchequer has also incurred heavy losses due to personal interests of Badals. Cable, Sand, Liquor, entertainment, Hospitality, Transport are few business sectors where the Badals have monopoly in the state now.
