Kashmir bans Iranian TV channel after Quran burning reports

SRINAGAR - The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday banned local cable operators from airing Iranian TV channel Press TV after protesters in the valley defied curfew and took to the streets following rumours that the Quran had been desecrated in the US.

“We appeal to the people not to heed unverified reports about the alleged desecration of the Holy Quran which have only been aired by Press TV and no other television news channel in the world,” state Chief Secretary S.S. Kapur told reporters.

“We have decided to impose a ban on the airing of Press TV broadcasts by local cable operators,” Kapur said at a press conference.

The chief secretary described as “unfortunate” the arson attack on a Christian missionary school by a mob in north Kashmir’s Tanmarg town after passions were stirred here in the wake of the Iranian news channel’s report.

“These rumours are spread by anti-social elements with nefarious designs and people should not heed these,” he said.

The chief secretary said no national television channel had carried the report about the alleged desecration as these reports were unsubstantiated.

Principal Secretary (home) B.R. Sharma and Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda were also present at the hurriedly convened press conference held at the civil secretariat here.

Violence broke out in several places in the valley following the Press TV report claiming that copies of the Quran had been burnt at some places in the US.