The ministry of information and broadcasting announced the decision on Thursday after the committee concluded that NDTV  had revealed “strategically-sensitive” details of the air base while relaying news from the spot during the terror attack on January 2.

The report said the anchor and correspondent of the channel gave away information about the number of terrorists holed up in a building situated in an area meant for Air Force personnel and details about how the army was planning to take them down.

Such sensitive information could have been readily picked by terrorist handlers and had the potential to cause massive harm not only to the national security, but also to lives of civilians and defense personnel; the report said.

The news coverage also revealed details of an arms cache, the ammunition stockpiled at the airbase, of MIGs and fighter-planes, and fuel-tanks that the terrorists could attack. These details were not provided in the government briefing given during the attack.

Giving out information of the area under attack or specific details on the counter-terror operations during a siege is in violation of the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2015, which prevent channels from beaming live coverage of any anti-terrorist operation by security forces. It also states that media coverage has to be restricted to the periodic briefing by a designated officer till the conclusion of the operation.

Channels have been taken off air before for similar violations; AL Jazeera was kept off air for five days for showing an incorrect map of India. So far, there have been 28 instances of channels being taken off air for violations.

But this is not a solution for a habitual offender like NDTV.....

Frequently, NDTV organizes debates related to communal issues. While the minority and left are well represented with considerable numerical strength, the right leaders are either below the number or more 'moderate' with respect to their position. While NDTV indulges in ample bashing of 'sangh parivar' it rarely invites its representative to debates. Prannoy Roy, its managing director, even once commented that M.F. Hussain, who drew nude paintings of Hindu Gods should be given Bharat Ratna.

 NDTV is wannabe CNN. It aims to not to take any side but in the process harms the very root of nation. To downplay minority aggression, it highlights and exaggerates the violent statements of majority or any suspicious activities. To minorities, it appears as if the whole majority is out to get them. To the majority it appears the government is allowing the minorities to get away for the same crimes of they are blamed.

In an interview much before he became PM, Modi exposed how Barkha, Rajdeep indulged in sensational journalism that hinged on threatening national security. During the 2002 post-Godhra riots, Barkha would position herself in a deserted area in Surat , ask the camera to pan both sides of the street and then say into the camera 'As you can see, there is absolutely no police presence in this area', during such a charged up and sensitive period! Modi said he confronted her on this, and asked 'What are you trying to do? Are you signalling to the rioters to attack that area? Your news broadcast takes less than 30 seconds to reach millions, it takes more than 3 hours for me (Gujarat CM) to mobilize a police company to a riot-affected area !

Opportunistic journalism with clearly no regard for national interests/national security, to say the least!

Steer clear of NDTV and its brand of polarizing, bigoted and hypocritical journalism.

So, we as caring people of this country should move ahead to BAN this Anti NAtional News channel permanently