Senior BJP leader and MP Subramanian Swamy, who has written to the government objecting to the use of the phrase "Republic" for yet-to-be launched news channel of Arnab Goswami, on Wednesday threatened legal action if the government fails to take appropriate action on his complaint.
The Rajya Sabha member had on January 13 written to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry contending that the use of "Republic" would be "contrary to law and a direct breach" of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.
"This is illegal. I will go to the court (if the government does not take action). We have this emblem Act under which one can not use word 'Republic'," Swami told IANS.
In the letter, Swamy had asked the ministry to look into the matter.
He said that he had not got a response from the ministry yet.
"May be in a day or two. The entire administration is of the view that my stand is correct," Swami claimed.
Official sources in the ministry told IANS that an under secretary-level officer was looking into the matter for further action.
"It may be noticed that certain names and emblems are prohibited from being used under (the) Act for professional and commercial purposes. As per the schedule, accompanying the statute, under item 6, there is express prohibition from using the phrase 'republic'," said Swamy in the letter, also posted on his Twitter account.
Goswami, the former editor-in-chief of Times Now channel, announced in December last year that his new venture will be called "Republic".
--IANS
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