No blackout of Tamil channels

No blackout of Tamil channels
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Tamil channels will not be blacked out over the Hogenakkal controversy, even as theatres here did not screen Tamil films.
Cable operators under the Karnataka Cable Television Chamber of Commerce, after a mammoth fourhour discussion on Wednesday, managed to convince most Kannada organisations that blacking out channels would not be in the interests of “peace and harmony’’ in the state.
After the meeting of cable operators and activists ended at 4.30 pm, an internal meeting after 6 pm finalised the earlier decision not to block Tamil channels. Amrith Kumar, representing cable operators, told TOI that the channels had nothing to do with “politics’’ and operators did not want to trouble viewers and the public. “Viewers are not responsible for what Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi said about Hogenakkal. Karunanidhi has politicised the issue and has made remarks for political gain. We should not react to that by targeting people.’’
Kumar said cable operators will, however, block Tamil channels on the day of the proposed bandh, April 10 or 12, from morning to evening. Operators have agreed also to block Kalaiganar channel indefinitely “as it is the personal channel of Karunanidhi’’.
The decision of cable operators was supported by Kannada Gadi Rakshana Vedike, Kannada Sene and Jai Karnataka. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike has said it would try to talk to the cable operators again to block Tamil channels. “If talks fail, we will protest in front of the operators’ offices. And even if that fails, we will think of ways to get the channels blocked,’’ KRV activist Anjanappa said. The operators clarified no Kannada channels had been blocked in Tamil Nadu. “We spoke to our counterparts in Chennai and they have told us clearly that no Kannada channels have been blocked,’’ Kumar said.
TN reciprocates
Chennai: Tamil Nadu cable operators have responded to their counterparts in Karnataka. Tamil Nadu Cable Operators’ General Welfare Association president P Shakeelan said: “We’ll not block Kannada channels even if Tamil channels are blocked in Karnataka. Business and politics are different fields.’’
The Tamil Nadu Association had earlier planned to block Kannada channels in TN. “But they retracted after they talked to us. They were surprised and happy that Karnataka cable operators had decided not to block Tamil channels,’’ Amrith Kumar said. TNN