Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today sought to play down the issue of advisory issued to TV channels by the Union government, saying the media has neither been gagged nor it can ever be.
"I have nothing to do with it- or what Narendra Modi says -- you can pose this question to Central government -- As far as my information is --I don't think you people (Media) have any ban and neither anybody can impose ban on your," he said here.
"Media has neither been gagged nor can be gagged", Omar told reporters when asked about advisory of the Union government to TV Channels.
In an advisory issued on October 21, the Information and Broadcasting ministry had asked TV channels that when the Prime Minister or the President on a national day like August 15 or January 26, make an address, it should be taken with sensitivity.
Modi in a rally in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district had alleged that an advisory was issued by the Centre to TV media on why he was shown "at par" with the PM while he was addressing the nation from the Red Fort on August 15.
"We, political persons, ever if think (on it), nobody can gag media -- those days are gone when there were ten newspapers and a channel in operation -- banning them was media gag," he said.
"Media is now powerful and it is energised now and has courage," he said, adding today it is not era of regular media alone but also of social media.
Such talks are being propagated to incite people, Omar said.
