Indian News Channels Banned By Nepal After 'Insulting' Broadcast On PM Oli

Nepal has blocked the transmission of all private TV news channels from India after one channel aired highly objectionable content defaming Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli.

According to news reports, Zee News had aired a news programme a few days ago alleging that China had drawn Oli into a “honey trap” and alluded to a “relationship” between Oli and Chinese ambassador Hou Yanqi.

That programme expectedly triggered howls of protest from all sections of people cutting across political divides in Nepal. Oli’s rivals within the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) also rallied behind him and condemned the channel for levelling such allegations.

Nepal government spokesperson Yubaraj Khatiwada said on Thursday (9 July) that Nepal would seek “legal and political against a section of the Indian media” for its “insulting and baseless allegations” against Oli.

Hours later, the Nepal Cable TV Association announced the blacking out of all Indian private channels. Doordarshan has been excluded from this blackout.

Nepal’s foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali said the Nepalese envoy in Delhi, Nilamber Acharya, has taken up the issue with senior officials of India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Acharya has been quoted as saying that such “objectionable and deplorable reports harm age-old ties between the two countries”.

Moreover, say political analysts, such reports also generate sympathy for the embattled Oli and only help him.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)