I&B Ministry: After the terror attack in Pahalgam earlier this week in South Kashmir, the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry has asked all media channels to be very careful. They told everyone not to show live videos of defence operations or the movement of security forces on TV or social media.
The ministry sent out an advisory on Saturday, saying that all media platforms, news agencies, and people using social media must act with full responsibility. They said it is very important to follow all the rules and laws while talking about defence activities.
The ministry warned that showing live visuals or even reporting information from sources about what the security forces are doing can be very risky. “Premature disclosure of sensitive information may inadvertently assist hostile elements and endanger operational effectiveness and safety of personnel,” it said, reports Indian Express. They explained that if sensitive information comes out too early, it can actually help enemies and also put the lives of soldiers in danger.
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The ministry reminded everyone about past incidents like the Kargil War, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and the Kandahar hijacking. They said that during those times, open media coverage caused a lot of unexpected problems for the country. They clearly said that media people, digital platforms, and even regular citizens have a very important role when it comes to keeping national security strong.
The ministry added, “Apart from the legal obligations, it is a shared moral responsibility to ensure that our collective actions do not compromise ongoing operations or the security of our forces.”
The ministry also pointed out that they have already told all TV channels before to follow Rule 6(1)(p) of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021. According to this rule, no TV channel is allowed to show live coverage of any anti-terrorist action by the security forces.
The media must wait for official updates, and only an officer picked by the government can give information during these operations. Until the operation is completely over, news channels cannot show live scenes.
The ministry said that showing such live actions breaks the rules and strict action can be taken against those who do it. They ended the advisory by saying, “All stakeholders are requested to continue exercising vigilance, sensitivity, and responsibility in coverage, upholding the highest standards in the service of the nation.”
