In almost every major national issue over the last year, we have witnessed a divided media. In the process of supporting or criticising a move by the government, media houses have named and shamed their rivals.
And the latest incident comes amid the ongoing row over a temporary black out of Hindi news channel NDTV India. The Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry has slapped a one-day ban on the channel for its coverage of the Pathankot terror attack that, as per government, revealed “strategically sensitive” details while covering the attacks live.

Zee Media founder Dr Subhash Chandra, in a series of tweets, supported the penalty on rival channel NDTV India today. Chandra justified his stand in the name of national interest and even took on the Editors’ Guild for looking the other way when Zee News was similarly being (allegedly) targeted during UPA days.
Here’s what he tweeted:
NDTV पर 1 दिवसीय प्रतिबन्ध नाइंसाफी है, यह सजा बहुत कम है! देश की सुरक्षा से खिलवाड़ के लिए उन पर आजीवन प्रतिबन्ध लगाना चाहिए था (1/5)
— Dr. Subhash Chandra (@subhashchandra) November 6, 2016
मेरा तो यह भी विश्वास है की अगर NDTV न्यायालय में जाए तो उसे वहां से भी फटकार ही मिलेगी (2/5)
— Dr. Subhash Chandra (@subhashchandra) November 6, 2016
UPA काल में Zee पर प्रतिबन्ध की बात चली थी तब NDTV, बाकि तथाकथित बुद्धिजीवीयों ने मौन धारण करा था, Editors Guild भी चुप्पी साधे हुआ था (3/5)
— Dr. Subhash Chandra (@subhashchandra) November 6, 2016
पर आज गलत को गलत कहने पर, कुछ लोग आपातकाल कह रहे है! क्या देश की सुरक्षा का कोई भी महत्त्व नहीं? (4/5)
— Dr. Subhash Chandra (@subhashchandra) November 6, 2016
देश की सुरक्षा में दो मत नहीं हो सकते। सरकार द्वारा NDTV इंडिया पर एक दिवसीय प्रतिबन्ध को मैं बिलकुल सही मानता हूँ! (5/5)
— Dr. Subhash Chandra (@subhashchandra) November 6, 2016
While Chandra did receive a huge support for his opinion, his holier-than-thou attitude was also massively taken down by readers who mentioned the infamous extortion episode that always gets Zee on the backfoot. Along with its not-so-hidden closeness to the ruling BJP.
.@subhashchandra sir, fyi @ndtv‘s editors didn’t indulge in blackmailing & extortion on camera.Unlike Zee.Bad idea to compare Zee & ndtv! 😟
— Santoesha Bissesar (@MsSantoesha) November 6, 2016
Rift in media. Expect more nationalistic channels to join Chandra. By the way, in UPA ban asked for on Zee was due to 100 cr extortion https://t.co/YBvBOboszo
— Arun Arora (@Arun2981) November 6, 2016
@subhashchandra सर अस्ल दिक्कत आपको इससे है कि वो चैनल आपकी तरह चापलूसी नही करता। शायद उसके मालिक को राज्यसभा कि टिकट नही चाहिए। 😛
— Nishchay vyas (@NishchayVyas) November 6, 2016
There was expected criticism from those calling the government move a draconian step to gag the press.
What do u expect from Subhash Chandra ? ZEE should be thrown out of NBA ? https://t.co/b2Jn46Z1d6
— ashutosh (@ashutosh83B) November 6, 2016
Some just had some fun of both Zee and NDTV’s expense
NDTV एक दिन ख़बरें नहीं दिखा पायेगा तो इतने परेशान क्यों हो, Zee News भी तो नहीं दिखा रहा इतने साल से।
— Narendra Modi (@Troll_Modi) November 5, 2016
@subhashchandra 😆 pic.twitter.com/E0cU1Qos1o
— तिरछी टोपीवाले🏃 (@iamMrZaid) November 6, 2016