TV WAR of a different kind is on in the city. The growth of the contentious Ahmediya Channel at the cost of the banned QTV has brought sectarian differences to a boiling point.
The QTV ban has caused much heartburn among the dominant Barelvis. They have threatened to take up the issue with the district administration and disrupt cable services in the predominant Muslim pockets if the ban on QTV was not lifted or the UK-based Ahmediya Channel not taken off the air.
Leading the Barelvis from the front is Shaher Qazi, Qari Abdus Sami, who recently met Union I&B Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi and submitted a memorandum. However, Dasmunshi ruled out any ban on QTV and the onus shifted to the local administration.
City Congress president Mahesh Dixit will lead a delegation to the district magistrate to apprise him of the popular sentiments.
“QTV is being viewed at places other than Kanpur. Our demand is resumption of the channel for reasons spiritual. The Sufi line of the channel is also it attraction,” Dixit said.
Recently, nearly 12 channels, including PTV and QTV, went off the air as their contents were deemed to hurt the city communal harmony.
{{/usCountry}}Recently, nearly 12 channels, including PTV and QTV, went off the air as their contents were deemed to hurt the city communal harmony.
{{/usCountry}}QTV, uplinked from Dubai and run by the ARY group, follows the Barelvi influence and has fairly good number of viewers here. As the Ahmediya Channel escaped the ban it evoked sharp reactions from the Barlevis and the Deobandis alike.
Both the sects have launched the Tahaffuz-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwat campaign against the Ahmediya sect, which believes that it was not Mohammad but its founder Ghulam Ahmed Qadiyani who was the last Prophet. Braving all odds, the sect is well established and runs the channel to propagate its belief and the teachings. For nonstop viewing, the Ahmediyas have opened six centres equipped with dish antennas. These channels attract large number of people on Fridays when the ‘khutba’ (religious talk) is aired.
The Barelvis, who outshone the Deobandis on this issue, say these centres should be closed down as well. When contacted the Shaher Qazi refused to comment but admitted that he had met Dasmunshi and local MP and minister Home Sriprakash Jaiswal.