A controversy erupted on Thursday over a promotional clip released by a TV channel about an ‘expose’ done by them on what they described as an “increasing number of Muslims” getting into civil services.
On Friday, the Delhi High Court stayed the broadcast of the controversial program named ‘UPSC Jihad’ of Sudarshan TV on Muslim candidates in the civil services, which was scheduled to be telecast at 8 pm on Friday.
The High Court order came on a petition filed by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia University. Sudarshan News head Suresh Chavhanke had referred to the students of the university as “Jamia ke jihadi” in the video clip. The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice Navin Chawla.
Shadan Farasat, the lawyer representing Jamia students, told the court that Chavhanke had openly indulged in hate speech and defamed the students. “Chavhanke openly incited his target non-Muslim audience by fear-mongering that ‘jihadis’ or terrorists from Jamia Millia Islamia would soon hold positions of authority and power,” Farasat said.
While the top court refused to impose pre-broadcast ban on Sudarshan TV from airing ‘Bindas Bol’ programme.
The apex court has fixed next date of hearing on September 15, the high court will hear the matter on September 7.
A Supreme Court bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and K M Joseph said it has to be circumspect in imposing a prior restraint on publication or the airing of views.
“At this stage, we have desisted from imposing a prebroadcast interlocutory injunction on the basis of an unverified transcript of a forty- nine second clip, said.
In the apex court, notice was issued to the Centre, Press Council of India, News Broadcasters Association and Sudarshan News.
The Indian Police Foundation and Indian Police Service Association condemned the statements by the anchor.
“The hate story carried on a Noida TV channel against minority candidates joining IAS /IPS is dangerous bigotry. We refrain from retweeting it because it is pure venom. We hope News Broadcasting Standards Authority, UP Police and concerned government authorities take strict action,” the IPF tweeted.
In a post that is somehow still available on Twitter – a damning indictment of the social media platform’s hate speech moderation in India – Chavhanke said he is going to be talking about ‘naukarshahi jihad’, the ‘infiltration’ of India’s bureaucratic service by Muslims.
