UNI

New Delhi, Aug 9: The government has vehemently denied the report emanating from a ''small section of media'' that India had ''banned'' two Arab TV channels -- Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya -- under pressure from Israel, saying it appeared to be mischievous and a figment of imagination.

Emphatically asserting that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry had banned ''no channel in particular'', it said the news report was contrary to facts.

"The news item appears to be mischievous, ill-conceived and seems to be a figment of imagination,'' the ministry said in a statement.

In a clarificatory note, it said that for any channel to be banned in India, it must be registered as per the Downlinking Guidelines, which were notified on November 11 last year.

Under the policy guidelines for downlinking of TV channels, six months' time has been provided to all foreign channels to comply with the provisions of the Downlinking Guidelines and get themselves registered.

This time-limit of six months' expired on May 10 this year.

"All channels which applied within the prescribed six months' time limit were allowed to continue provisionally pending a decision on their application under the Downlinking Guidelines,'' it said, pointing out that there were 65 such channels.

Those channels which did not even bother to apply for registration could not be downlinked in India under Downliknking Guidelines after the expiry of six-month time.

"It may be reiterated that the channels mentioned in the news article Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya have not yet applied to be downlinked in India till date,'' the ministry said, adding that those channel, which had not applied within the stipulated time-frame (till May 10, 2006), could still apply afresh.

Reacting to the news item, Baijendra Kumar, Joint Secretary, I&B Ministry, had on Monday said, ''It is a mysterious news item aimed only at creating confusion''.

Kumar said it was surprising that the news report had quoted an I and B official to confirm the so-called ban.

"It is totally misleading'' he said.

The West Asian daily, Arab News, published from Saudi Arabia, had on Sunday commented: ''It seems the ban is a move to ensure that Indians do not get to see the atrocities that are presently being committed by Israel in Lebanon and the occupied territories.

"Minister of Information and Broadcasting Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi was busy in Parliament and was unavailable for comment on the issue.

However, a ministry official explained why the Indian government decided to enforce the ban. The official highlighted that India enjoys close and cordial relations with Israel and the US more than any of the Arab governments,'' it said.

Rubbishing these suggestions, Kumar said it was misguiding to quote a Ministry official as making such comments.