MADRAS (PTI): Union Deputy Minister for information and broadcasting Girija Vyas said the frequency and range of AIR and Doordarshan transmitters in the border areas of the northern Indian state of Punjab would be increased to attract Pakistani audience.

Speaking to reporters here she said Pakistan had stopped its propaganda in India in the last two or three months after the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Cable News Network (CNN) had protested Pakistan’s unauthorized use of their broadcasts.

Asked if the high-power transmitters to be set up in the border districts would be used for counter propaganda Vyas said India believed in co-existence and did not need to resort to such measures Instead as the people on the Paki. Stani side had a regional and linguistics bond with the people across the border they would be naturally attracted to India’s cultural programs which were of a superior quality she said. On some militants groups demand for exclusive use of Punjabi by the electronic media in Punjab she said already 80% of the programs were in Punjabi.

Article extracted from this publication >> June 19, 1992