ITV

Tag: Sudarshan News

  • Sudarshan News’ UPSC Jihad show offensive, breached Programme Code: MIB to SC

    Sudarshan News’ UPSC Jihad show offensive, breached Programme Code: MIB to SC

    NEW DELHI: In an affidavit presented to the Supreme Court of India, the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has stated that Sudarshan News’ controversial programme Bindas Bol – UPSC Jihad is “against good taste and decency, attacks religious communities, and contains defamatory and obscene half-truths.”

    "The ministry is of the opinion that while freedom of speech and expression is a fundamental right, the tone and tenor of the episodes telecast do indicate that the channel has, through the various utterances and audio-visual content, breached the programme code," MIB stated in the affidavit.

    The ministry has not barred the airing of future episodes of Bindas Bol, but issued guidelines to Sudarshan TV to prevent any Programme Code violation, by ensuring that the show doesn’t offend against "good taste or decency"; doesn’t contain anything "false, defamatory, suggestive innuendoes or half-truths"; and doesn’t attack "religions or communities."

    It further cautioned Sudarshan News to be careful henceforth, and if any violation of the Programme Code happens in future, the channel will be subjected to strict penal action. 

     “The channel should review the content of the future episodes of the programme Bindas Bol – UPSC Jihad and the audio-visual content should be suitably moderated and modified, so as to ensure there is no violation of Programme Code,” the MIB said.

    The Delhi high court had stayed the telecast of the programme on August 28 and the next day had disposed of the plea with a direction to the ministry to take a decision on the prohibition of the show. It was directed to the channel and its editor to not broadcast the show till such time as the ministry makes its decision.

    On 15 September, the apex court had put on hold the telecast of the show. Then on 26 October, the ministry told the apex court that it was ready with its order in relation to a show-cause notice issued to Sudarshan TV based on the recommendation of an inter-ministerial group, which had viewed all the episodes of the channel’s Bindas Bol programme.

  • PIL moves Delhi HC to prevent news channels from preaching communal disharmony

    PIL moves Delhi HC to prevent news channels from preaching communal disharmony

    NEW DELHI: A PIL has been filed in the Delhi high court in reference to the recent episode aired by Sudarshan TV on its programme Bindas Bol around the subject of the controversial Tanishq ad. The episode was aired on 12 October on the channel and talked about how the jewellery brand’s campaign was promoting ‘love jihad’ and attacking the psychology of the Hindu community.

    The petition, which has been filed by advocate Asghar Khan, sought directions to the central government to formulate guidelines to ensure that news channels do not preach communal disharmony and hate speech. It also sought a mechanism to check content and advertisements which are spreading hatred and are against the spirit of the Union of India.

    The plea said it can be clearly inferred from the Tanishq advertisement that its purpose was to showcase the spirit of unity and brotherhood amongst two religious groups.

    "However, Sudharsahan TV in its 8 pm show ‘Bindas Bol’ dated 12.10.2020 made their best attempts to incite hatred amongst above said religious groups…editor-in-chief of Sudarshan News and anchor of the show Suresh Chavhanke mentioned that love jihad is now being promoted by the way of advertisements and to quote him he said ‘advertisement jihad’.. an insidious attempt has been made to insinuate that the community is involved in a planned conspiracy to infiltrate the advertisement agency,” the petition reads.

    It stated that the central government and other authorities have, from time to time, issued directions and advisories to all private satellite TV channels, asking them to refrain from broadcasting content that may incite violence, threaten national integrity and violate the programme code.

    However, Sudarshan TV has not followed any of these advisories and has come up with broadcasts and printed blogs that target the sentiments of a particular community, the petitioner states. This isn’t the first instance of litigation against the channel. It is currently in the dock for its programme 'UPSC Jihad' over complaints that it violated the program code by communalising the entry of Muslims into the civil services.

    The plea further urged to ensure that the media houses report only true facts and not opinions and be responsible for what they are publishing.

    The plea sought direction to the authorities to form guidelines to include restrictions as envisaged under Article 19 of the Constitution and orders of the Supreme Court to ensure that media does not abuse the freedom of speech and expression.

    It has also prayed for imposition of "gag order" restraining the orators or authors of hate or derogatory speeches made on the lines of religion from addressing the public anywhere within the country till the disposal of the criminal proceeding initiated against them.

  • Delhi High Court stays the broadcast of Sudarshan News’ communal show

    Delhi High Court stays the broadcast of Sudarshan News’ communal show

    A major controversy erupted when Sudarshan News CMD & editor-in-chief Suresh Chavanke released a promo of his forthcoming episode UPSC Jihad of his television show Bindas Bol on Aug 25.

    The promo clearly used disturbing and communal words and was themed on the exposé of Muslims who have infiltrated the highest working body in the government, our executive branch. The show was supposed to be aired on Aug 28 at 8 pm.

    The promo, once released, immediately attracted outrage from journalists, police professionals, and IPS & IAS officers. IPS Association even issued a statement condemning the ‘communal and irresponsible piece of journalism’.

    On Aug 28, the Delhi High Court stayed the proposed broadcast of the show after former and current students of Jamia Milia Islamia, filed a plea seeking a ban on the telecast. This came even as the Supreme Court on Friday declined to impose a pre-broadcast ban on the channel from airing the programme.

    The plea alleged the show was an attempt to “defame, attack and incite hatred” against Jamia Milia Islamia, its alumni and the Muslim community at large. The HC stayed the broadcast until September 7.

    The court also directed Sudarshan News to file a reply before September 1 on the notice issued by the ministry of information & broadcasting on the complaints it received against the show.

    Justice Navin Chawla also issued a notice to the I&B ministry on the plea filed through advocate Shadan Farasat contending that the trailer of the show has “openly engaged” in hate speech.

    Appearing for the I&B ministry, advocate Anurag Alhuwalia, the central government’s standing counsel, accepted the notice, following which the matter was posted for hearing on September 7.

    The petition said the proposed broadcast along with the trailer violates the programme code set out under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, read with the Cable Television Networks Rules 1994.

    “The proposed broadcast and trailer also constitute hate speech and criminal defamation and is an offense under Sections 153A (1), 153B(1), 295A and 499 of the Indian Penal Code,” the plea read.

    After the order was passed, the show that was supposed to be telecast was not aired. Instead, Chavanke conducted another show where he accused Jamia Milia Islamia students and alumni of using the court to get the show stopped.

    The Delhi High Court on Saturday further refused to lift its stay order. This came a day after the High Court stayed the broadcast of the show.