2023 Goenka Awards for excellence in journalism, IE editor in chief Rajkamal Jha turns the spotlight on media arrests
Jha delivered this pithy critique of the times we live in while union minister for Information & Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur looked on when he delivered his brief vote of thanks
It was a vote of thanks, brief but with a punch. The occasion was the 16th 16th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards held in Delhi. The Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud had just delivered the keynote address after presenting these awards.The speaker was Raj Kamal Jha, editor in chief of Indian Express, cap in place, dressed in his signature black with bright red socks.
Raj Kamal Jha said for journalists and journalism, year after year, case after case, their starlight has illuminated the road ahead. Jha joked, “We have the privilege of the presence of the honourable Chief Justice. And there is absolutely nothing in a sealed cover. This is a vote of thanks but in the times we live in, I want to say there will be no vote – there will just be thanks here.”
Jha went on to affirm his faith in the Supreme Court that he said would remain the North Star.
“For journalists and journalism, year after year, case after case, their starlight has illuminated the road ahead. That’s why, when the lights dim, when a reporter is arrested under a law meant for terrorists, when another is arrested for asking a question, when a university teacher is picked up for sharing a cartoon, a college student for a speech, a film star for a comment, or when a rejoinder to a story comes in the form of a police FIR – we turn to the North Star for its guiding light.”
Unsurprisingly, his brief vote of thanks, delivered in the presence of politicians from the ruling party and opposition, union minister for I & B, Anurag Thakur and senior counsel and Rajya Sabha member, Kapil Sibal created a storm on twitter. In these days of studied silences, when voices do speak, people listen.
Related:
‘Press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy’: CJI DY Chandrachud
2023 Goenka Awards for excellence in journalism, IE editor in chief Rajkamal Jha turns the spotlight on media arrests
Jha delivered this pithy critique of the times we live in while union minister for Information & Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur looked on when he delivered his brief vote of thanks
It was a vote of thanks, brief but with a punch. The occasion was the 16th 16th Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards held in Delhi. The Chief Justice of India (CJI), DY Chandrachud had just delivered the keynote address after presenting these awards.The speaker was Raj Kamal Jha, editor in chief of Indian Express, cap in place, dressed in his signature black with bright red socks.
Raj Kamal Jha said for journalists and journalism, year after year, case after case, their starlight has illuminated the road ahead. Jha joked, “We have the privilege of the presence of the honourable Chief Justice. And there is absolutely nothing in a sealed cover. This is a vote of thanks but in the times we live in, I want to say there will be no vote – there will just be thanks here.”
Jha went on to affirm his faith in the Supreme Court that he said would remain the North Star.
“For journalists and journalism, year after year, case after case, their starlight has illuminated the road ahead. That’s why, when the lights dim, when a reporter is arrested under a law meant for terrorists, when another is arrested for asking a question, when a university teacher is picked up for sharing a cartoon, a college student for a speech, a film star for a comment, or when a rejoinder to a story comes in the form of a police FIR – we turn to the North Star for its guiding light.”
Unsurprisingly, his brief vote of thanks, delivered in the presence of politicians from the ruling party and opposition, union minister for I & B, Anurag Thakur and senior counsel and Rajya Sabha member, Kapil Sibal created a storm on twitter. In these days of studied silences, when voices do speak, people listen.
Related:
‘Press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy’: CJI DY Chandrachud
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‘Press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy’: CJI DY Chandrachud
A functional and healthy democracy must encourage the development of journalism as an institution that can ask difficult questions to the establishment said the Chief Justice of India delivering his address at the Ramnath Goenka Awards
Written by D Y Chandrachud (Courtesy; Indian Express)
At the very outset, I extend my heartiest congratulations to the winners in all the categories of the awards presented today. Earlier today, I was browsing through the categories in which awards are presented as well as a few stories by previous winners and I must say that I am tremendously impressed by the depth and breadth of the reportage that journalists in our country engage in. To those journalists who have not won today — you are no less a winner in the game of life for yours is a noble profession. To have chosen it at all (especially when more lucrative options are available) and to continue to pursue it despite the many difficulties which arise, is admirable indeed.
As I was reflecting on the profession of law and that of journalism, it occurred to me that journalists and lawyers (or judges, as in my case) share some things in common. Of course, persons of both professions are fierce believers of the aphorism that the pen is mightier than the sword. But, they also share the occupational hazard of being disliked by virtue of their professions — no easy cross to bear. But members of both professions keep at their daily tasks and hope that one day, the reputations of their professions will receive a makeover.
The magnitude of the task that journalists face in their careers was well described by G K Chesterton, who said “Journalism largely consists in saying ‘Lord Jones is dead’ to people who never knew Lord Jones was alive”. Journalists are constantly engaged in the endeavour of simplifying complex information for the consumption of the public, which is frequently unaware of even the most basic facts underlying the issues sought to be exposed. This simplification of information must not be at the cost of accuracy, which further complicates the journalist’s job. This is true, the world over.
The media sparks debates and discussion, which are the first step towards action. All societies inevitably become dormant, lethargic and immune to the problems that plague them. Journalism (in all its forms) is one of the key aspects which prods us out of this collective inertia. The media has always played and continues to play an important role in shaping the course of current events, and by extension, the course of history itself. Recently, the #MeToo movement was sparked in part by the publication of stories concerning the accusations of sexual harassment against prominent figures in the film industry in the US. The #MeToo movement had cascading effects all across the world and was a watershed moment in history. In India, the media’s coverage of the rape of Jyoti, or Nirbhaya, by certain men in Delhi resulted in widespread protests and later, in reforms to criminal law. Even on a day-to-day basis, some news stories prompt questions and discussion in Parliament and in the legislative assemblies of states.
The media is the fourth pillar in the conception of the State, and thus an integral component of democracy. A functional and healthy democracy must encourage the development of journalism as an institution that can ask difficult questions to the establishment — or as it is commonly known, “speak truth to power”. The vibrancy of any democracy is compromised when the press is prevented from doing exactly this. The press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy.
India has a great legacy of newspapers that have acted as catalysts of social and political change. Prior to independence, newspapers were run by social reformers and political activists in order to raise awareness and also as a means of outreach. For instance, Dr. Ambedkar launched several newspapers such as Mooknayak, Bahishkrut Bharat, Janata, and Prabuddha Bharat to create awareness about the rights of the most neglected communities in India. The newspapers and other publications of pre-Independence India also give us a picture of the detailed history of those times. These newspapers are now a source of knowledge, a historical record of the times when courageous men and women acted against the colonial rulers and fought fiercely for our independence. The newsprint voiced the aspiration of the soul, a yearning for freedom.
Many journalists, both in our country as well as across the world, work in difficult and unfriendly conditions. But they are relentless in the face of adversity and opposition. It is precisely this quality which must not be lost. As citizens, we may not agree with the approach that a journalist has adopted or the conclusions that they reach. I, too, find myself disagreeing with many journalists. After all, who amongst us agrees with all other people? But disagreement must not distort into hatred and hatred must not be permitted to evolve into violence. As you must be aware, the Supreme Court of India has emphasised on the rights of journalists in a number of judgments. In one judgment, the Supreme Court held: “India’s freedoms will rest safe as long as journalists can speak truth to power without being chilled by a threat of reprisal.”
Initially, the outreach of journalism was limited to print media, but this expanded with the introduction of television. I was taking a flight to the United States in 1982 to pursue a Master’s degree in law. Coincidentally, it was the day of the launching of colour television in India. In the recent past, social media has been a game changer for journalists in more ways than one. Online platforms have provided an opportunity to individuals to launch their own online media channels. In that way, online platforms have led to the democratisation of the media. Years ago, it was the paucity of space which was a constraining factor. Now, perhaps, it is the paucity of reader patience. Readers have short attention spans. News is reduced to shorts on YouTube or reels on Instagram.
Our attention spans have seen a steady decline with the advent of social media. It is now the norm for short tidbits of information to be conveyed through 280 characters or in a few seconds. This is, however, an unsatisfactory replacement for long-form or investigative pieces. In fact, there can be no replacement for such reportage. It is also proving to be a challenge for journalists to penetrate the echo chambers that social media has created and illuminate the truth.
Local or community-based journalism has played an important role in encouraging social cohesion and political activism. It has the ability to not only educate citizens but also to raise the little-known concerns and set the agenda for debate on those issues at the policy level. Local journalism shines a bright light on local issues, people, and causes, which many times may not get covered by the media at the national-level. As several studies have shown, the composition of mainstream media is not representative of all communities.
Community journalism opens the avenues for the members of marginalised communities to be a voice for their own issues. The emergence of social media enabled them to create their own space and come up with independent media platforms.
The relevance of the media was best highlighted during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Electronic, print and social media facilitated the State to disseminate relevant information to the general public at large even during the lockdown. The citizens were constantly reminded of the various precautionary as well as preventive steps which they were expected to take in order to ensure their well-being. The media highlighted administrative loopholes and excesses. Various high courts and the Supreme Court of India relied on news reports in taking suo motu cognisance of instances of violations of people’s rights during the pandemic.
I was recently asked as to which newsperson I followed with keen interest. My answer did not name a newsperson but a cartoonist – the famed late Mr R K Laxman. Although he was not a journalist, he succeeded in accomplishing the core of the journalist’s mission by holding a mirror up to the powers that be. I am sure most of India will join with me in considering Mr RK Laxman’s cartoons to be incisive and witty commentaries. He was what we call an “equal opportunity offender” — everyone stood the risk of being the subject of his cartoons and most took it in good spirit when they were ridiculed. My favourite anecdote about him was that he thought that the famous UK cartoonist David Low was actually David Cow because of the manner in which Mr Low penned his signature.
I also joked that my favourite journalist (so to speak) was the one in the Hindi movie Nayak, which was a remake of the Tamil film Mudhalvan. Those who have watched either of these know that the protagonist is a journalist who is invited to take the place of the Chief Minister for a single day. He becomes wildly popular after doing this and becomes a politician. I see some young faces in the audience today and I hope that they have not taken up journalism after watching this movie in their youth.
In recent years, we are also witnessing a rising interest in legal journalism. Legal journalism is the storyteller of the justice system, shedding light on the complexities of the law. However, selective quoting of speeches and judgments of judges by journalists in India has become a matter of concern. This practice has a tendency to distort the public’s understanding of important legal issues. Judges’ decisions are often complex and nuanced, and selective quoting can give the impression that a judgment means something entirely different from what the judge actually intended. It is thus essential for journalists to provide a complete picture of events, rather than presenting a one-sided view. Journalists have a duty to report accurately and impartially.
As with every institution, journalism is facing its own challenges. Fake news poses a serious threat to the independence and impartiality of the press in the current society. It is the collective responsibility of journalists as well as other stakeholders to weed out any element of bias or prejudice from the process of reporting events. A comprehensive fact-checking mechanism should be in place to verify all news items before reporting. Media houses are expected to act cautiously while publishing news. Fake news can misguide millions of people at once, and this will be in direct contradiction with the fundamentals of democracy which form the bedrock of our existence. Across the globe, fake news has the capability to create tensions between communities by misleading people. Therefore, to save the democratic values of fraternity which can be damaged, if not destroyed through biased reporting, there is a strong need to bridge a gap between truth and lie.
Another issue affecting the media is that of legitimacy. A diverse and representative newsroom is essential for media institutions to provide well-researched and complex stories that explore a multiplicity of perspectives and voices.
Maintaining a diverse workforce is imperative for the longevity of any media platform. This is not just about providing different perspectives and viewpoints. Media institutions need to ensure that their newsroom culture reflects the diverse news content they are producing. Otherwise, audiences may question their authenticity. Journalism ought not to be elitist, exclusionary or for that matter, a selective profession.
‘Press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy’: CJI DY Chandrachud
A functional and healthy democracy must encourage the development of journalism as an institution that can ask difficult questions to the establishment said the Chief Justice of India delivering his address at the Ramnath Goenka Awards
Written by D Y Chandrachud (Courtesy; Indian Express)
At the very outset, I extend my heartiest congratulations to the winners in all the categories of the awards presented today. Earlier today, I was browsing through the categories in which awards are presented as well as a few stories by previous winners and I must say that I am tremendously impressed by the depth and breadth of the reportage that journalists in our country engage in. To those journalists who have not won today — you are no less a winner in the game of life for yours is a noble profession. To have chosen it at all (especially when more lucrative options are available) and to continue to pursue it despite the many difficulties which arise, is admirable indeed.
As I was reflecting on the profession of law and that of journalism, it occurred to me that journalists and lawyers (or judges, as in my case) share some things in common. Of course, persons of both professions are fierce believers of the aphorism that the pen is mightier than the sword. But, they also share the occupational hazard of being disliked by virtue of their professions — no easy cross to bear. But members of both professions keep at their daily tasks and hope that one day, the reputations of their professions will receive a makeover.
The magnitude of the task that journalists face in their careers was well described by G K Chesterton, who said “Journalism largely consists in saying ‘Lord Jones is dead’ to people who never knew Lord Jones was alive”. Journalists are constantly engaged in the endeavour of simplifying complex information for the consumption of the public, which is frequently unaware of even the most basic facts underlying the issues sought to be exposed. This simplification of information must not be at the cost of accuracy, which further complicates the journalist’s job. This is true, the world over.
The media sparks debates and discussion, which are the first step towards action. All societies inevitably become dormant, lethargic and immune to the problems that plague them. Journalism (in all its forms) is one of the key aspects which prods us out of this collective inertia. The media has always played and continues to play an important role in shaping the course of current events, and by extension, the course of history itself. Recently, the #MeToo movement was sparked in part by the publication of stories concerning the accusations of sexual harassment against prominent figures in the film industry in the US. The #MeToo movement had cascading effects all across the world and was a watershed moment in history. In India, the media’s coverage of the rape of Jyoti, or Nirbhaya, by certain men in Delhi resulted in widespread protests and later, in reforms to criminal law. Even on a day-to-day basis, some news stories prompt questions and discussion in Parliament and in the legislative assemblies of states.
The media is the fourth pillar in the conception of the State, and thus an integral component of democracy. A functional and healthy democracy must encourage the development of journalism as an institution that can ask difficult questions to the establishment — or as it is commonly known, “speak truth to power”. The vibrancy of any democracy is compromised when the press is prevented from doing exactly this. The press must remain free if a country is to remain a democracy.
India has a great legacy of newspapers that have acted as catalysts of social and political change. Prior to independence, newspapers were run by social reformers and political activists in order to raise awareness and also as a means of outreach. For instance, Dr. Ambedkar launched several newspapers such as Mooknayak, Bahishkrut Bharat, Janata, and Prabuddha Bharat to create awareness about the rights of the most neglected communities in India. The newspapers and other publications of pre-Independence India also give us a picture of the detailed history of those times. These newspapers are now a source of knowledge, a historical record of the times when courageous men and women acted against the colonial rulers and fought fiercely for our independence. The newsprint voiced the aspiration of the soul, a yearning for freedom.
Many journalists, both in our country as well as across the world, work in difficult and unfriendly conditions. But they are relentless in the face of adversity and opposition. It is precisely this quality which must not be lost. As citizens, we may not agree with the approach that a journalist has adopted or the conclusions that they reach. I, too, find myself disagreeing with many journalists. After all, who amongst us agrees with all other people? But disagreement must not distort into hatred and hatred must not be permitted to evolve into violence. As you must be aware, the Supreme Court of India has emphasised on the rights of journalists in a number of judgments. In one judgment, the Supreme Court held: “India’s freedoms will rest safe as long as journalists can speak truth to power without being chilled by a threat of reprisal.”
Initially, the outreach of journalism was limited to print media, but this expanded with the introduction of television. I was taking a flight to the United States in 1982 to pursue a Master’s degree in law. Coincidentally, it was the day of the launching of colour television in India. In the recent past, social media has been a game changer for journalists in more ways than one. Online platforms have provided an opportunity to individuals to launch their own online media channels. In that way, online platforms have led to the democratisation of the media. Years ago, it was the paucity of space which was a constraining factor. Now, perhaps, it is the paucity of reader patience. Readers have short attention spans. News is reduced to shorts on YouTube or reels on Instagram.
Our attention spans have seen a steady decline with the advent of social media. It is now the norm for short tidbits of information to be conveyed through 280 characters or in a few seconds. This is, however, an unsatisfactory replacement for long-form or investigative pieces. In fact, there can be no replacement for such reportage. It is also proving to be a challenge for journalists to penetrate the echo chambers that social media has created and illuminate the truth.
Local or community-based journalism has played an important role in encouraging social cohesion and political activism. It has the ability to not only educate citizens but also to raise the little-known concerns and set the agenda for debate on those issues at the policy level. Local journalism shines a bright light on local issues, people, and causes, which many times may not get covered by the media at the national-level. As several studies have shown, the composition of mainstream media is not representative of all communities.
Community journalism opens the avenues for the members of marginalised communities to be a voice for their own issues. The emergence of social media enabled them to create their own space and come up with independent media platforms.
The relevance of the media was best highlighted during the period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Electronic, print and social media facilitated the State to disseminate relevant information to the general public at large even during the lockdown. The citizens were constantly reminded of the various precautionary as well as preventive steps which they were expected to take in order to ensure their well-being. The media highlighted administrative loopholes and excesses. Various high courts and the Supreme Court of India relied on news reports in taking suo motu cognisance of instances of violations of people’s rights during the pandemic.
I was recently asked as to which newsperson I followed with keen interest. My answer did not name a newsperson but a cartoonist – the famed late Mr R K Laxman. Although he was not a journalist, he succeeded in accomplishing the core of the journalist’s mission by holding a mirror up to the powers that be. I am sure most of India will join with me in considering Mr RK Laxman’s cartoons to be incisive and witty commentaries. He was what we call an “equal opportunity offender” — everyone stood the risk of being the subject of his cartoons and most took it in good spirit when they were ridiculed. My favourite anecdote about him was that he thought that the famous UK cartoonist David Low was actually David Cow because of the manner in which Mr Low penned his signature.
I also joked that my favourite journalist (so to speak) was the one in the Hindi movie Nayak, which was a remake of the Tamil film Mudhalvan. Those who have watched either of these know that the protagonist is a journalist who is invited to take the place of the Chief Minister for a single day. He becomes wildly popular after doing this and becomes a politician. I see some young faces in the audience today and I hope that they have not taken up journalism after watching this movie in their youth.
In recent years, we are also witnessing a rising interest in legal journalism. Legal journalism is the storyteller of the justice system, shedding light on the complexities of the law. However, selective quoting of speeches and judgments of judges by journalists in India has become a matter of concern. This practice has a tendency to distort the public’s understanding of important legal issues. Judges’ decisions are often complex and nuanced, and selective quoting can give the impression that a judgment means something entirely different from what the judge actually intended. It is thus essential for journalists to provide a complete picture of events, rather than presenting a one-sided view. Journalists have a duty to report accurately and impartially.
As with every institution, journalism is facing its own challenges. Fake news poses a serious threat to the independence and impartiality of the press in the current society. It is the collective responsibility of journalists as well as other stakeholders to weed out any element of bias or prejudice from the process of reporting events. A comprehensive fact-checking mechanism should be in place to verify all news items before reporting. Media houses are expected to act cautiously while publishing news. Fake news can misguide millions of people at once, and this will be in direct contradiction with the fundamentals of democracy which form the bedrock of our existence. Across the globe, fake news has the capability to create tensions between communities by misleading people. Therefore, to save the democratic values of fraternity which can be damaged, if not destroyed through biased reporting, there is a strong need to bridge a gap between truth and lie.
Another issue affecting the media is that of legitimacy. A diverse and representative newsroom is essential for media institutions to provide well-researched and complex stories that explore a multiplicity of perspectives and voices.
Maintaining a diverse workforce is imperative for the longevity of any media platform. This is not just about providing different perspectives and viewpoints. Media institutions need to ensure that their newsroom culture reflects the diverse news content they are producing. Otherwise, audiences may question their authenticity. Journalism ought not to be elitist, exclusionary or for that matter, a selective profession.
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No NCRB data on journalist, media personnel arrested under UAPA and other penal laws: IBM
As another Kashmiri journalist gets detained, Centre shrugs off any responsibility of maintaining data on journalists that have been booked over the years
Image courtesy: The Quint/Erum Gour
In the ongoing budget session of the Parliament, Lok Sabha member Shri Pradyut Bordoloi (INC) brought the issue of journalists being arrest under the charges of Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment (UAPA) Act. Bordoloi had asked the ministry of Information And Broadcasting to provide the Lok Sabha with the details and the number of journalists arrested under UAPA, Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other penal laws during the last five years and the current year. The member had also enquired about the details and the number of Information Technology surveys and raids carried out at News organisations by the Government during the last five years and the current year.
Responding to these queries, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, informed the Lok Sabha that the above-mentioned matters are state are state subjects, as ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ fall under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Thus, the State Governments are responsible for prevention, detection and investigation of crimes and for prosecuting the criminals through their law enforcement agencies. Additionally, it also informed that even the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) does not maintain data separately for Journalists and media personnel.
The question can be read here:
In a country where authorities are increasingly targeting journalists and online critics for their critiques of government policies and practices, including by bringing charges against them under counterterrorism and other penal laws, this response reflects the authorities' indifference to ensuring the safety of journalists in India.
The Indian authorities and state agencies have repeatedly violated the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. An increasing number of journalists are detained on trumped-up or politically motivated charges for critical reporting, and they are then imprisoned for years, with the goal of targeting journalists, spreading fear, and silencing independent media.
The targeting of journalists by the authorities, combined with a more extensive restriction on dissent, has enabled the Hindu nationalists to intimidate, persecute, and abuse journalists critical of the Indian government, both online and offline, with impunity.
Against the backdrop of increasing restrictions on media freedom, Indian authorities have arrested journalists on bogus terrorism and seditious charges, and have consistently aimed at critics and independent news organisations, even raiding their offices. Even though it has only been three months since the beginning of this year, there have already been numerous reports of journalists being arrested and charged with UAPA, as well as raids on media outlets. In the month of March itself, 2 such cases have been reported, which are as follows:
-
On March 20, 2023, Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj was arrested by the National Investigation Agency from Srinagar in a case registered under the UAPA. In a 2020 case of terror funding allegedly through NGOs, Mehraj was the first accused arrested following an alleged comprehensive investigation. In a statement, the central agency said that Mehraj is a close associate of human rights activist Khurram Parvez, who was arrested in November 2021 under sections of the UAPA which deal with terror funding. On March 22, a Delhi Court had now remanded Mehraj to NIA custody for 10 days in a case registered under UAPA.
Mehraj and Parvez are both associated with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, a coalition of non-profit campaign and advocacy organisation based in Srinagar. Mehraj founded Wande Magazine and now works as a senior editor at TwoCircles.net. He has tirelessly contributed to leading news publications such as The Indian Express, Al Jazeera, Himal Southasian, DW, and TRT World, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that the truth about the atrocities in Kashmir reaches the world.
It is also worth noting that Parvez, who was arrested by the NIA in November 2021 under the draconian UAPA on charges of criminal conspiracy, waging war against the government, and terror funding, is still detained.
-
On March 13, Sanjay Rana, a YouTube reporter, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for asking a question to an elected state functionary. On March 12, Rana had questioning the state minister for secondary education Gulab Devi at a function about unfulfilled promises. He asked “questions to a minister over her unfulfilled promises of development work during a function”. Devi had visited Budh Nagar Khandwa to inaugurate a dam. Rana was eventually granted bail but not before remaining in police custody for over 30 hours. The Union noted that not even a day had passed since the event when the Sambhal police arrested Rana based on a complaint by a leader associated with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP’s youth wing. An FIR under IPC Sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), was filed against Rana.
In February, the income tax department had raided the Mumbai and Delhi office of the BBC News. The raids, which the income tax officials have described as "surveys," follows the recent controversy over the BBC's showing of a two-part investigative documentary, titled India: The Modi Question, which for the first time revealed a confidential investigation by the British government into the 2002 Gujarat riots that left more than a thousand Muslims dead. On February 26, a journalist employed with a TV channel was shot at by two unidentified bike-borne gunmen in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh. In his FIR, journalist Devendra Khare had alleged that he was allegedly being pressuring against reporting a recent attack on Akhil Bhartiya Brahman Mahasabha national president Rajendra Tripathi and his family. On February 6, hours after a Ratnagiri-based local daily carried a front-page story about a land agent with alleged criminal antecedents, the story’s reporter was mowed down by a car allegedly driven by the subject of the story. Furthermore, Indian authorities have also been implicated in using the Israeli-produced spyware Pegasus to target journalists.
These are just a few examples of incidents that have occurred this year. It is worth noting that many journalists who have had cases filed against them in recent years are either still in jail or are out on bail, fighting against the current tyranny. Given the polarised environment, India has been labeled as dangerous for journalists. Freedom of expression protection in India has never been strong, and it is now dwindling even further.
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No NCRB data on journalist, media personnel arrested under UAPA and other penal laws: IBM
As another Kashmiri journalist gets detained, Centre shrugs off any responsibility of maintaining data on journalists that have been booked over the years
Image courtesy: The Quint/Erum Gour
In the ongoing budget session of the Parliament, Lok Sabha member Shri Pradyut Bordoloi (INC) brought the issue of journalists being arrest under the charges of Unlawful Activities Prevention Amendment (UAPA) Act. Bordoloi had asked the ministry of Information And Broadcasting to provide the Lok Sabha with the details and the number of journalists arrested under UAPA, Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other penal laws during the last five years and the current year. The member had also enquired about the details and the number of Information Technology surveys and raids carried out at News organisations by the Government during the last five years and the current year.
Responding to these queries, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, informed the Lok Sabha that the above-mentioned matters are state are state subjects, as ‘Police’ and ‘Public Order’ fall under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. Thus, the State Governments are responsible for prevention, detection and investigation of crimes and for prosecuting the criminals through their law enforcement agencies. Additionally, it also informed that even the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) does not maintain data separately for Journalists and media personnel.
The question can be read here:
In a country where authorities are increasingly targeting journalists and online critics for their critiques of government policies and practices, including by bringing charges against them under counterterrorism and other penal laws, this response reflects the authorities' indifference to ensuring the safety of journalists in India.
The Indian authorities and state agencies have repeatedly violated the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. An increasing number of journalists are detained on trumped-up or politically motivated charges for critical reporting, and they are then imprisoned for years, with the goal of targeting journalists, spreading fear, and silencing independent media.
The targeting of journalists by the authorities, combined with a more extensive restriction on dissent, has enabled the Hindu nationalists to intimidate, persecute, and abuse journalists critical of the Indian government, both online and offline, with impunity.
Against the backdrop of increasing restrictions on media freedom, Indian authorities have arrested journalists on bogus terrorism and seditious charges, and have consistently aimed at critics and independent news organisations, even raiding their offices. Even though it has only been three months since the beginning of this year, there have already been numerous reports of journalists being arrested and charged with UAPA, as well as raids on media outlets. In the month of March itself, 2 such cases have been reported, which are as follows:
-
On March 20, 2023, Kashmiri journalist Irfan Mehraj was arrested by the National Investigation Agency from Srinagar in a case registered under the UAPA. In a 2020 case of terror funding allegedly through NGOs, Mehraj was the first accused arrested following an alleged comprehensive investigation. In a statement, the central agency said that Mehraj is a close associate of human rights activist Khurram Parvez, who was arrested in November 2021 under sections of the UAPA which deal with terror funding. On March 22, a Delhi Court had now remanded Mehraj to NIA custody for 10 days in a case registered under UAPA.
Mehraj and Parvez are both associated with the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, a coalition of non-profit campaign and advocacy organisation based in Srinagar. Mehraj founded Wande Magazine and now works as a senior editor at TwoCircles.net. He has tirelessly contributed to leading news publications such as The Indian Express, Al Jazeera, Himal Southasian, DW, and TRT World, and has worked tirelessly to ensure that the truth about the atrocities in Kashmir reaches the world.
It is also worth noting that Parvez, who was arrested by the NIA in November 2021 under the draconian UAPA on charges of criminal conspiracy, waging war against the government, and terror funding, is still detained.
-
On March 13, Sanjay Rana, a YouTube reporter, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for asking a question to an elected state functionary. On March 12, Rana had questioning the state minister for secondary education Gulab Devi at a function about unfulfilled promises. He asked “questions to a minister over her unfulfilled promises of development work during a function”. Devi had visited Budh Nagar Khandwa to inaugurate a dam. Rana was eventually granted bail but not before remaining in police custody for over 30 hours. The Union noted that not even a day had passed since the event when the Sambhal police arrested Rana based on a complaint by a leader associated with the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the BJP’s youth wing. An FIR under IPC Sections 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), was filed against Rana.
In February, the income tax department had raided the Mumbai and Delhi office of the BBC News. The raids, which the income tax officials have described as "surveys," follows the recent controversy over the BBC's showing of a two-part investigative documentary, titled India: The Modi Question, which for the first time revealed a confidential investigation by the British government into the 2002 Gujarat riots that left more than a thousand Muslims dead. On February 26, a journalist employed with a TV channel was shot at by two unidentified bike-borne gunmen in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh. In his FIR, journalist Devendra Khare had alleged that he was allegedly being pressuring against reporting a recent attack on Akhil Bhartiya Brahman Mahasabha national president Rajendra Tripathi and his family. On February 6, hours after a Ratnagiri-based local daily carried a front-page story about a land agent with alleged criminal antecedents, the story’s reporter was mowed down by a car allegedly driven by the subject of the story. Furthermore, Indian authorities have also been implicated in using the Israeli-produced spyware Pegasus to target journalists.
These are just a few examples of incidents that have occurred this year. It is worth noting that many journalists who have had cases filed against them in recent years are either still in jail or are out on bail, fighting against the current tyranny. Given the polarised environment, India has been labeled as dangerous for journalists. Freedom of expression protection in India has never been strong, and it is now dwindling even further.
Related:
Remove distasteful tickers targeting Teesta Setalvad: NBDSA directs Times Now
TV Journalist Shot Twice in UP’s Jaunpur District
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Remove distasteful tickers targeting Teesta Setalvad: NBDSA directs Times Now
The Authority has advised the channel from using such tickers in the future, of which it has been guilty in the past as well
In June 2022 the arrest of Ms. Teesta Setalvad invited protests from various organisations and well meaning citizens, opposing her arrest, calling it political vendetta. Her arrest was widely covered in news media as she was booked under trumped up charges of giving false evidence while she was fighting against the system just so that the victims of the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom get justice. While some news channels gave her arrest the fair representation it warranted, there were some channels like Times Now, which once again jumped the gun and set to tarnish the image of Ms. Setalvad, who is a journalist herself as well as a well known crusader of human rights in India.
On June 25, 27 and 28, 2022 Times Now aired three shows with the intention to portray Ms Setalvad as unworthy of trust and compassion. The channel had a field day around her arrest and the charges levied on her by casting aspersions on her humanitarian work and vilifying her by casting aspersions on her credibility as a Human Rights Defender.
The tickers that ran through the show included:
“Lutyens ‘Fix Modi’ Plot Nailed?”
“SC nail ‘Fix Modi’ Plot”
“Teesta-UPA 1.4 Crore irregular Handshake”
“Padma, Post and Paisa”
“Modi Fixer was Favoured”
“Reward for ‘Ruin Modi’ Plot?”
The complaint had stated that the hosts of the various shows, namely – Navika Kumar, Rahul Shivshankar, and Poonam Budre appeared biased towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons throughout the show.
During the hearing held on December 15, 2022 Advocates Aparna Bhat and Karishma Maria appearing for CJP [assisted by the CJP team] submitted that in the show, the panellists speaking in favour of Ms. Setalvad were constantly interrupted by the hosts while those speaking against her were granted more time.
The NBDSA, in its order stated that while parts of the shows discussed the Supreme Court judgement in Zakia Ahsan Jafri vs State of Gujarat and Anr 2022 SCC Online SC773, the tickers used during the show, as mentioned above were “neither necessary nor contextual and not in good taste as well”.
The NBDSA said that it “does not appreciate the manner in which some of the tickers were aired during the impugned programmes. The Authority also advised the channel to not telecast such tickers in future.
The NBDSA has directed the channel to edit the video of the impugned shows available on their website or on YouTube and remove the tickers: “Modi Baiter Arrested” “Lutyens ‘Fix Modi’ Plot Nailed?” within 7 days.
In an earlier instance as well Times Now had resorted to the mischief of defaming Ms Setalvad by calling her a ‘Modi Baiter’ and alleging she was tutoring the protestors at Shaheen Bagh, where, mainly women, were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA). In its November 2021 order, the NBDSA had said, “In this context, using bold headlines and attributing her to be ‘Modi Baiter’ seems out of context and doesn’t appear to be an objective assessment of her speech, lacks neutrality and accuracy and also violeate guidelines which require that facts should be clearly distinguishable from, and not mixed up with opinion, analysis and comment.” The 2021 order may be read here.
The complete order may be read here.
Related:
TIMES NOW’S SHOW ON TEESTA SETALVAD DEVOID OF OBJECTIVITY: NBDSA
CJP CALLS OUT TIMES NOW FOR CONDUCTING A MEDIA TRIAL AGAINST TEESTA SETALVAD
CJP MOVES NBDSA AGAINST TIMES NOW’S VIRTUAL MEDIA TRIAL OF TEESTA SETALVAD
Remove distasteful tickers targeting Teesta Setalvad: NBDSA directs Times Now
The Authority has advised the channel from using such tickers in the future, of which it has been guilty in the past as well
In June 2022 the arrest of Ms. Teesta Setalvad invited protests from various organisations and well meaning citizens, opposing her arrest, calling it political vendetta. Her arrest was widely covered in news media as she was booked under trumped up charges of giving false evidence while she was fighting against the system just so that the victims of the 2002 Gujarat Pogrom get justice. While some news channels gave her arrest the fair representation it warranted, there were some channels like Times Now, which once again jumped the gun and set to tarnish the image of Ms. Setalvad, who is a journalist herself as well as a well known crusader of human rights in India.
On June 25, 27 and 28, 2022 Times Now aired three shows with the intention to portray Ms Setalvad as unworthy of trust and compassion. The channel had a field day around her arrest and the charges levied on her by casting aspersions on her humanitarian work and vilifying her by casting aspersions on her credibility as a Human Rights Defender.
The tickers that ran through the show included:
“Lutyens ‘Fix Modi’ Plot Nailed?”
“SC nail ‘Fix Modi’ Plot”
“Teesta-UPA 1.4 Crore irregular Handshake”
“Padma, Post and Paisa”
“Modi Fixer was Favoured”
“Reward for ‘Ruin Modi’ Plot?”
The complaint had stated that the hosts of the various shows, namely – Navika Kumar, Rahul Shivshankar, and Poonam Budre appeared biased towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokespersons throughout the show.
During the hearing held on December 15, 2022 Advocates Aparna Bhat and Karishma Maria appearing for CJP [assisted by the CJP team] submitted that in the show, the panellists speaking in favour of Ms. Setalvad were constantly interrupted by the hosts while those speaking against her were granted more time.
The NBDSA, in its order stated that while parts of the shows discussed the Supreme Court judgement in Zakia Ahsan Jafri vs State of Gujarat and Anr 2022 SCC Online SC773, the tickers used during the show, as mentioned above were “neither necessary nor contextual and not in good taste as well”.
The NBDSA said that it “does not appreciate the manner in which some of the tickers were aired during the impugned programmes. The Authority also advised the channel to not telecast such tickers in future.
The NBDSA has directed the channel to edit the video of the impugned shows available on their website or on YouTube and remove the tickers: “Modi Baiter Arrested” “Lutyens ‘Fix Modi’ Plot Nailed?” within 7 days.
In an earlier instance as well Times Now had resorted to the mischief of defaming Ms Setalvad by calling her a ‘Modi Baiter’ and alleging she was tutoring the protestors at Shaheen Bagh, where, mainly women, were protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA). In its November 2021 order, the NBDSA had said, “In this context, using bold headlines and attributing her to be ‘Modi Baiter’ seems out of context and doesn’t appear to be an objective assessment of her speech, lacks neutrality and accuracy and also violeate guidelines which require that facts should be clearly distinguishable from, and not mixed up with opinion, analysis and comment.” The 2021 order may be read here.
The complete order may be read here.
Related:
TIMES NOW’S SHOW ON TEESTA SETALVAD DEVOID OF OBJECTIVITY: NBDSA
CJP CALLS OUT TIMES NOW FOR CONDUCTING A MEDIA TRIAL AGAINST TEESTA SETALVAD
CJP MOVES NBDSA AGAINST TIMES NOW’S VIRTUAL MEDIA TRIAL OF TEESTA SETALVAD
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India tops online anti-Muslim hate posts, 3rd largest spike in Islamophobic tweets: 2022 Report
Report showed Islamophobia more prevalent on the web than it is in real life, only a mere 14.83% of anti-Muslim tweets end up being removed online
The United Nations (UN) marked the first-ever International Day to Combat Islamophobia with a special event on March 15, where speakers upheld the need for concrete action in the face of rising hatred, discrimination and violence against Muslims. On this day, it is important to highlight the need for making concrete and conscious efforts in curbing anti-Muslim hate online. In latter half of last year,a report was released which contained worrying trends and numbers of digital islamophobia.A study on the issue of ‘Islamophobia in the digital age: A study of anti-Muslim tweets’ was conducted by the Islamic Council of Victoria, and a report containing their key findings and recommendations had been published. In the said report, the research that was conducted indicated that Islamophobia is more prevalent on the web than it is in real life.The report had stated that according to experts, this growth in digital Islamophobia is fuelling a vicious cycle whereby online expressions of hate incite offline attacks on Muslims, which in turn provoke more online hate. Despite the apparent severity of rising digital Islamophobia, there has been relatively little research into its prevalence and causes, and through this said report, an attempt had been made to change that.
Key Findings of the Report:
The data in the said report had been harnessed using cutting-edge machine learning techniques to automatically identify hateful content. As per their investigation, it had been revealed that there were at least 3,759,180 Islamophobic posts made on Twitter between 28 August, 2019 and 27 August, 2021. Even more concerning, however, wastheir discovery that only a mere 14.83% of anti-Muslim tweets end up being removed. The report provides that even after close to a year, 85% of hateful tweets were still online
The researchers in the said report revealed that a strong correlation existed between spikes in hate and newsworthy events related to Islam, particularly protests, terrorist attacks and eruptions of conflict in the Muslim world to the islamophobic comments made by leaders of the countries. In reference to this, it was provided in the report that the third-largest spike in Islamophobic tweets was observed on February 25, 2020, which was found to be the result of hateful remarks made by leaders of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against Muslim protesters of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Further in their report, it was also discovered that nearly 86% of geolocated anti-Muslim posts originated in just three places: India, the US and the UK. With regard to India, the report provided that link to the rampancy of Islamophobia can be made to the fact that the BJP is currently in power. Indeed, from the BJP’s refusal to condemn Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava’s assertion that ‘the party will bring machines from China to shave 10–12 thousand Muslims and later force them to adopt Hindu religion’ to their passing of a law that discriminatorily deprives Muslim refugees of a pathway to citizenship, there are an endless number of examples of how the BJP has actively normalised hatred towards Muslims such that 55.12% of Islamophobic tweets now originate in India, the report stated.
Discussing the case of the US, the report stated that even although Islamophobia had long been a problem, it was found that it was dramatically exacerbated by the racist, conspiratorial and inflammatory rhetoric employed by Donald Trump. The instance of Trump’s response to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani was noted in the report, which had triggered a massive spike in hate on January 3, 2020, with some 9,302 anti-Muslim tweets being made that day. It was also reported that Trump ranked as the third most frequently mentioned user in Islamophobic posts, a great many of which were focused on defending his ban on Muslim immigration, in addition to forwarding his theory that the Democrats were collaborating with ‘the Islamists’ to take over the West.
The report also observed the most common themes in Islamophobic tweets, the most prevalent of which were:
- The association of Islam with terrorism: According to the report, the problem with using terms, such as jihadi, Islamic terrorist, Pakistani, islamist, islamofacist, etc., is that they imply that Islam is in some way connected to terrorism, or at the very least, that the Islamic faith of terrorists is relevant to their actions. And thus, just as their use has grown amongst public officials and news media, so too has that perceived link between Islam and terrorism, leading to the present state of affairs where ‘kill’, ‘attack’ and ‘jihad’ are all some of the most frequently used terms in anti-Muslim tweets
- The depiction of Muslim men as perpetrators of sexual violence:The report provided insight into another major trope observed in Islamophobic tweets, which was the depiction of Muslim men as perpetrators of sexual violence. This usually occurred through the propagation of the ‘love jihad’ theory – defined by Iselin Frydenlund and EvianeLeidig as the ‘conspiratorial notion that Muslim men strategically allure and entrap [typically South Asian] non-Muslim women with the intent to marry and convert them to Islam as part of an Islamization project’.According to the report, the popularity of this theory was such that ‘lovejihad’ ranked as the most frequently used hashtag in Islamophobic tweets, a finding we largely hold the BJP responsible for. Indeed, rather than attempting to dispel the hateful myth, the BJP has effectively endorsed it by, inter alia, passing new ‘love jihad laws’ that criminalise forcible conversions via marriage, the report had stated.
Recommendations given in the report:
The report concludedfrom these findings that radical changes are necessary to both Twitter’s moderation policies and online safety law, without which it is all the more likely that the problem of digital Islamophobia will grow to a point of intractability. Some of the recommendations provided are as follows:
- For Policymakers:
The report recommended that the needs for imposing a statutory duty of care on social media platforms to protect users from Islamophobia as well as introduce penalties for platforms that fail to act to prevent the mass dissemination of anti-Muslim content.
For the Indian government, the report suggested that work towards combatting Islamophobia should be done in understanding that anti-Muslim content produced in India is contributing to the radicalisation of far-right extremists in the West in a vicious cycle of affirmation and amplification.
- For Twitter:
The report suggested that twitter should discontinue the policy of not screening tweets, and instead begin developing new capabilities for the automatic detection and removal of hateful content. Additionally, it is recommended that they should establish an independent oversight body comprised of experts in Islamophobia to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of moderation policies.
The full report can be read here:
Related:
Why UN’s Islamophobia Resolution Troubles Moderate Muslims
Ubriddled hate and Islamophobia on display at RSS event
Worsening Spiral of Communal Hate: State’s role in rising violence against minorities
India tops online anti-Muslim hate posts, 3rd largest spike in Islamophobic tweets: 2022 Report
Report showed Islamophobia more prevalent on the web than it is in real life, only a mere 14.83% of anti-Muslim tweets end up being removed online
The United Nations (UN) marked the first-ever International Day to Combat Islamophobia with a special event on March 15, where speakers upheld the need for concrete action in the face of rising hatred, discrimination and violence against Muslims. On this day, it is important to highlight the need for making concrete and conscious efforts in curbing anti-Muslim hate online. In latter half of last year,a report was released which contained worrying trends and numbers of digital islamophobia.A study on the issue of ‘Islamophobia in the digital age: A study of anti-Muslim tweets’ was conducted by the Islamic Council of Victoria, and a report containing their key findings and recommendations had been published. In the said report, the research that was conducted indicated that Islamophobia is more prevalent on the web than it is in real life.The report had stated that according to experts, this growth in digital Islamophobia is fuelling a vicious cycle whereby online expressions of hate incite offline attacks on Muslims, which in turn provoke more online hate. Despite the apparent severity of rising digital Islamophobia, there has been relatively little research into its prevalence and causes, and through this said report, an attempt had been made to change that.
Key Findings of the Report:
The data in the said report had been harnessed using cutting-edge machine learning techniques to automatically identify hateful content. As per their investigation, it had been revealed that there were at least 3,759,180 Islamophobic posts made on Twitter between 28 August, 2019 and 27 August, 2021. Even more concerning, however, wastheir discovery that only a mere 14.83% of anti-Muslim tweets end up being removed. The report provides that even after close to a year, 85% of hateful tweets were still online
The researchers in the said report revealed that a strong correlation existed between spikes in hate and newsworthy events related to Islam, particularly protests, terrorist attacks and eruptions of conflict in the Muslim world to the islamophobic comments made by leaders of the countries. In reference to this, it was provided in the report that the third-largest spike in Islamophobic tweets was observed on February 25, 2020, which was found to be the result of hateful remarks made by leaders of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) against Muslim protesters of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Further in their report, it was also discovered that nearly 86% of geolocated anti-Muslim posts originated in just three places: India, the US and the UK. With regard to India, the report provided that link to the rampancy of Islamophobia can be made to the fact that the BJP is currently in power. Indeed, from the BJP’s refusal to condemn Ranjeet Bahadur Srivastava’s assertion that ‘the party will bring machines from China to shave 10–12 thousand Muslims and later force them to adopt Hindu religion’ to their passing of a law that discriminatorily deprives Muslim refugees of a pathway to citizenship, there are an endless number of examples of how the BJP has actively normalised hatred towards Muslims such that 55.12% of Islamophobic tweets now originate in India, the report stated.
Discussing the case of the US, the report stated that even although Islamophobia had long been a problem, it was found that it was dramatically exacerbated by the racist, conspiratorial and inflammatory rhetoric employed by Donald Trump. The instance of Trump’s response to the assassination of Qasem Soleimani was noted in the report, which had triggered a massive spike in hate on January 3, 2020, with some 9,302 anti-Muslim tweets being made that day. It was also reported that Trump ranked as the third most frequently mentioned user in Islamophobic posts, a great many of which were focused on defending his ban on Muslim immigration, in addition to forwarding his theory that the Democrats were collaborating with ‘the Islamists’ to take over the West.
The report also observed the most common themes in Islamophobic tweets, the most prevalent of which were:
- The association of Islam with terrorism: According to the report, the problem with using terms, such as jihadi, Islamic terrorist, Pakistani, islamist, islamofacist, etc., is that they imply that Islam is in some way connected to terrorism, or at the very least, that the Islamic faith of terrorists is relevant to their actions. And thus, just as their use has grown amongst public officials and news media, so too has that perceived link between Islam and terrorism, leading to the present state of affairs where ‘kill’, ‘attack’ and ‘jihad’ are all some of the most frequently used terms in anti-Muslim tweets
- The depiction of Muslim men as perpetrators of sexual violence:The report provided insight into another major trope observed in Islamophobic tweets, which was the depiction of Muslim men as perpetrators of sexual violence. This usually occurred through the propagation of the ‘love jihad’ theory – defined by Iselin Frydenlund and EvianeLeidig as the ‘conspiratorial notion that Muslim men strategically allure and entrap [typically South Asian] non-Muslim women with the intent to marry and convert them to Islam as part of an Islamization project’.According to the report, the popularity of this theory was such that ‘lovejihad’ ranked as the most frequently used hashtag in Islamophobic tweets, a finding we largely hold the BJP responsible for. Indeed, rather than attempting to dispel the hateful myth, the BJP has effectively endorsed it by, inter alia, passing new ‘love jihad laws’ that criminalise forcible conversions via marriage, the report had stated.
Recommendations given in the report:
The report concludedfrom these findings that radical changes are necessary to both Twitter’s moderation policies and online safety law, without which it is all the more likely that the problem of digital Islamophobia will grow to a point of intractability. Some of the recommendations provided are as follows:
- For Policymakers:
The report recommended that the needs for imposing a statutory duty of care on social media platforms to protect users from Islamophobia as well as introduce penalties for platforms that fail to act to prevent the mass dissemination of anti-Muslim content.
For the Indian government, the report suggested that work towards combatting Islamophobia should be done in understanding that anti-Muslim content produced in India is contributing to the radicalisation of far-right extremists in the West in a vicious cycle of affirmation and amplification.
- For Twitter:
The report suggested that twitter should discontinue the policy of not screening tweets, and instead begin developing new capabilities for the automatic detection and removal of hateful content. Additionally, it is recommended that they should establish an independent oversight body comprised of experts in Islamophobia to continuously evaluate the effectiveness of moderation policies.
The full report can be read here:
Related:
Why UN’s Islamophobia Resolution Troubles Moderate Muslims
Ubriddled hate and Islamophobia on display at RSS event
Worsening Spiral of Communal Hate: State’s role in rising violence against minorities
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Altnews editor receives serial threats from Hindutva influencers
AltNews co-founder Mohammad Zubair has received numerous online threats from Hindutva influencers after the site busted fake propaganda about attacks on migrant workers in Tamil Nadu. Of those threatening Zubair is a rightwing columnist Harshil Mehta and former OpIndia editor Ajeet Bharti. “The plan is on. This time he will be totally circumcised so much that he’ll need a pipe to urinate,” brazenly tweeted Bharti. Some twitter users went several steps further and suggested lone wolf attacks and an “Akhlaq”-like offensive. In 2015, a year and three months after the Modi 1 regime was voted to power, Mohammed Akhlaq was beaten to death by a mob on the suspicion of eating beef in UP’s Dadri district. This is not the first time that Zubair has been the target of abuse by the Hindu right. In June 2022, he was arrested for allegedly “hurting religious sentiments” with a tweet.
“I am not aware of any death threat, no such information has come to me,” said Bengaluru police commissioner Pratap Reddy to Newslaundry.. “If Zubair approaches us, we will consider giving security based on the case.”
Courtesy: Newslaundry
Pratik Sinha, co-founder of Alt News, said that they were talking with their lawyers about what to do. Before this, Zubair tweeted to say that while he largely ignored or laughed off the torrent of abuse he receives, the flurry of tweets by people about “physically harming & finishing me” had increased after Alt News busted fake propaganda about murderous attacks on migrant Bihari workers in Tamil Nadu. Zubair also told the Wire that he had received threats earlier, but this time the threats were angrier and more explicit.
Over past weeks, several right-wing social media pages, BJP leaders and certain mainstream news channels had falsely claimed that migrant labourers, particularly from Bihar, were being lynched in Tamil Nadu.
It was not just Zubair but several other fact-checkers, who called these out These fact-checks helped counter the disinformation and also led to criminal cases being filed against Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao, Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar, right wing website OpIndia’s editor Nupur Sharma and CEO Rahul Roushan, and a few YouTubers and Twitter handles.
Related:
‘Vicious cycle’ against Mohammed Zubair: SC
BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa files police complaint against Mohammed Zubair
Allahabad HC refuses to quash FIR against Alt News Founder Mohammed Zubair
How are religious sentiments hurt when blatant hate speech is exposed by a journalist?
Altnews editor receives serial threats from Hindutva influencers
AltNews co-founder Mohammad Zubair has received numerous online threats from Hindutva influencers after the site busted fake propaganda about attacks on migrant workers in Tamil Nadu. Of those threatening Zubair is a rightwing columnist Harshil Mehta and former OpIndia editor Ajeet Bharti. “The plan is on. This time he will be totally circumcised so much that he’ll need a pipe to urinate,” brazenly tweeted Bharti. Some twitter users went several steps further and suggested lone wolf attacks and an “Akhlaq”-like offensive. In 2015, a year and three months after the Modi 1 regime was voted to power, Mohammed Akhlaq was beaten to death by a mob on the suspicion of eating beef in UP’s Dadri district. This is not the first time that Zubair has been the target of abuse by the Hindu right. In June 2022, he was arrested for allegedly “hurting religious sentiments” with a tweet.
“I am not aware of any death threat, no such information has come to me,” said Bengaluru police commissioner Pratap Reddy to Newslaundry.. “If Zubair approaches us, we will consider giving security based on the case.”
Courtesy: Newslaundry
Pratik Sinha, co-founder of Alt News, said that they were talking with their lawyers about what to do. Before this, Zubair tweeted to say that while he largely ignored or laughed off the torrent of abuse he receives, the flurry of tweets by people about “physically harming & finishing me” had increased after Alt News busted fake propaganda about murderous attacks on migrant Bihari workers in Tamil Nadu. Zubair also told the Wire that he had received threats earlier, but this time the threats were angrier and more explicit.
Over past weeks, several right-wing social media pages, BJP leaders and certain mainstream news channels had falsely claimed that migrant labourers, particularly from Bihar, were being lynched in Tamil Nadu.
It was not just Zubair but several other fact-checkers, who called these out These fact-checks helped counter the disinformation and also led to criminal cases being filed against Uttar Pradesh BJP spokesperson Prashant Umrao, Hindi newspaper Dainik Bhaskar, right wing website OpIndia’s editor Nupur Sharma and CEO Rahul Roushan, and a few YouTubers and Twitter handles.
Related:
‘Vicious cycle’ against Mohammed Zubair: SC
BJP’s Manjinder Singh Sirsa files police complaint against Mohammed Zubair
Allahabad HC refuses to quash FIR against Alt News Founder Mohammed Zubair
How are religious sentiments hurt when blatant hate speech is exposed by a journalist?
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Fake News Regarding Situation of Migrant Workers in Tamil Nadu Being Made Viral
One such piece of fake news was attributed to the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran. As per the paper clip, on March 2, the newspaper, in its Lucknow edition, reported that "Hindi-speaking labourers were being killed in Tamil Nadu."
Image Courtesy: PTI
Numerous claims regarding incidents of violence against migrants in Tamil Nadu have been going around social media in the past few days. Alt News fack-checked five such news pieces and found them to be false.
The viral videos circulated online were not found to be related to any incident of violence in Tamil Nadu. One such piece of fake news was attributed to the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran. As per the paper clip, on March 2, the newspaper, in its Lucknow edition, reported that "Hindi-speaking labourers were being killed in Tamil Nadu."
The report added that migrant workers from North Indian states were asked to vacate the state by the natives before March 2020. Moreover, the newspaper wrongly claimed that Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin asked "Hindi-speaking migrant workers to leave and that the Tamil Nadu government won't be responsible for whatever happens to them if they don't."
The viral paper clip. Source: Alt News
The report also included a statement by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
"Every Hindi-speaking migrant worker is requested to return home. You will get employment in Uttar Pradesh…," Adityanath said, as per the report.
The fact-check by Alt News found that the viral clipping is not genuine as the report "is not only incomplete but is also poorly written using Google Input Tools." It included Hindi errors, poor formatting, and repetitive usage of English words in a Hindi copy. Further investigation by Alt News revealed that the clipping was made using an Android application called "News Banner Maker," which "allows users to make such newspaper cutting."
The clipping was shared to create the impression that migrant workers are not safe in Tamil Nadu and have been asked to leave the state.
Courtesy: Newsclick
Fake News Regarding Situation of Migrant Workers in Tamil Nadu Being Made Viral
One such piece of fake news was attributed to the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran. As per the paper clip, on March 2, the newspaper, in its Lucknow edition, reported that "Hindi-speaking labourers were being killed in Tamil Nadu."
Image Courtesy: PTI
Numerous claims regarding incidents of violence against migrants in Tamil Nadu have been going around social media in the past few days. Alt News fack-checked five such news pieces and found them to be false.
The viral videos circulated online were not found to be related to any incident of violence in Tamil Nadu. One such piece of fake news was attributed to the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran. As per the paper clip, on March 2, the newspaper, in its Lucknow edition, reported that "Hindi-speaking labourers were being killed in Tamil Nadu."
The report added that migrant workers from North Indian states were asked to vacate the state by the natives before March 2020. Moreover, the newspaper wrongly claimed that Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin asked "Hindi-speaking migrant workers to leave and that the Tamil Nadu government won't be responsible for whatever happens to them if they don't."
The viral paper clip. Source: Alt News
The report also included a statement by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
"Every Hindi-speaking migrant worker is requested to return home. You will get employment in Uttar Pradesh…," Adityanath said, as per the report.
The fact-check by Alt News found that the viral clipping is not genuine as the report "is not only incomplete but is also poorly written using Google Input Tools." It included Hindi errors, poor formatting, and repetitive usage of English words in a Hindi copy. Further investigation by Alt News revealed that the clipping was made using an Android application called "News Banner Maker," which "allows users to make such newspaper cutting."
The clipping was shared to create the impression that migrant workers are not safe in Tamil Nadu and have been asked to leave the state.
Courtesy: Newsclick
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NBDA condemns attack by SFI activists and police search of Malayalam news channel Asianet
New Delhi: March 6, 2023: News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) strongly condemns the attack by Student Federation of India (SFI) activists on the office of Malayalam news channel Asianet in Kochi and the subsequent police searchof its office in Kozhikode, Kerala, a Member of NBDA.
The attack by SFI activists and the subsequent police search of the broadcaster’s office, comes in the backdrop of the reporting by Asianet news channel on the issue of drug and sexual abuse of a young girl in Kerala. These actions are not only unacceptable but are also a direct impingement on the media’s freedom of speech and expression as enshrined under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
NBDA unequivocally states that there can be no possible justification for attacking and/or searching the broadcaster’s premises as such attacks and searches are an obvious attempt to muzzle the media. Media is widely regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy and its function of disseminating news of public interest to the people is indispensable to the functioning of a democracy. Therefore, it is reiterated that any action which prevents the media from performing their duties is violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
NBDA urges the Chief Minister of Kerala to take immediate action against the individuals and officials who attacked and/or searched the broadcasters office premises, clearly sending a message that no individuals or officials are beyond the purview of the law.
The statement has been issued by Annie Joseph, Secretary General of the NBDA.
Related:
Stand up for media freedom & ethical journalism: NWMI
India, with seven journalists jailed, draws criticism over its curtailment of media freedoms
Kashmir: Journalist Aasif Sultan jailed under PSA, after getting bail
Does news of assaults on journalists not reach any minister's reading list?
Remember journalists Siddique Kappan, Aasif Sultan, Kishorechandra Wangkhem?
NBDA condemns attack by SFI activists and police search of Malayalam news channel Asianet
New Delhi: March 6, 2023: News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NBDA) strongly condemns the attack by Student Federation of India (SFI) activists on the office of Malayalam news channel Asianet in Kochi and the subsequent police searchof its office in Kozhikode, Kerala, a Member of NBDA.
The attack by SFI activists and the subsequent police search of the broadcaster’s office, comes in the backdrop of the reporting by Asianet news channel on the issue of drug and sexual abuse of a young girl in Kerala. These actions are not only unacceptable but are also a direct impingement on the media’s freedom of speech and expression as enshrined under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
NBDA unequivocally states that there can be no possible justification for attacking and/or searching the broadcaster’s premises as such attacks and searches are an obvious attempt to muzzle the media. Media is widely regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy and its function of disseminating news of public interest to the people is indispensable to the functioning of a democracy. Therefore, it is reiterated that any action which prevents the media from performing their duties is violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.
NBDA urges the Chief Minister of Kerala to take immediate action against the individuals and officials who attacked and/or searched the broadcasters office premises, clearly sending a message that no individuals or officials are beyond the purview of the law.
The statement has been issued by Annie Joseph, Secretary General of the NBDA.
Related:
Stand up for media freedom & ethical journalism: NWMI
India, with seven journalists jailed, draws criticism over its curtailment of media freedoms
Kashmir: Journalist Aasif Sultan jailed under PSA, after getting bail
Does news of assaults on journalists not reach any minister's reading list?
Remember journalists Siddique Kappan, Aasif Sultan, Kishorechandra Wangkhem?
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What Indian Media Didn’t Tell Us About Faiz Festival in Lahore
Javed Akhtar’s remarks at the event are significant, but not more than the progressive environment the fair provides.
Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
The Indian media widely publicised the Faiz Festival 2023 held in Lahore, Pakistan, between 17 and February 19, after the famous Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar, who attended the event, said in response to a question that the accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack are roaming freely in Pakistan. India’s media published this remark with sensational headlines such as ‘Javed Akhtar Tells Pakistan Off Clearly’, and ‘Javed Akhtar Entered Pakistan and Thrashed it’. However, the headlines and stories never mentioned that Akhtar’s audience, primarily Pakistanis, also clapped at this remark.
The significance of the support in Pakistan for Akhtar’s thinly-veiled criticism of the Pakistani establishment cannot be underplayed in the context of recent developments in India. The slightest criticism of a government decision or leaders of the ruling political party can end in attacks by troll armies, if not action by the State, against those who express the contrary view.
The media has been part of this suppression of ideas in India, which is probably why it did not highlight—or chose to censor—Akhtar’s emphasis on Indo-Pak friendship at the event either. The Faiz Festival is Pakistan’s most beloved literary festival, attended by people from around the world. Akhtar also suggested that India and Pakistan should strive to understand each other better. This would have been anathema for most of the mainstream Indian press and the ruling establishment in both countries.
Later, in an interview with an Indian TV channel, Akhtar said the government of India and the Indian people might have differences with the rulers of Pakistan, but why should they harbour anger towards the people of Pakistan? He also said the Pakistani general public wants friendship with India. It hardly needs an explanation why much of the mainstream press has suppressed or underplayed this information. What Akhtar said—he even acknowledged that the people of Pakistan showered him with love during this visit to the country—is against the trend in India to critique not just Pakistan’s State, which has undoubtedly been the source of worries and losses in India, but to blame every Pakistani for the actions of its governments.
The childish way in which a large section of the Indian media handled Akhtar’s visit cloaked the numerous merits of the Faiz Festival, primarily to show how the educated sections of society can pave a path of resistance to oppression. The 7th International Faiz Festival ’23, related to literature, art, music and progressive ideas, was organised by the Faiz Foundation Trust in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Consulate at the Alhamra Art Center Mall Road. Personalities associated with art, literature, music, the film world and progressive thinkers from Pakistan, India and other countries participated in this year’s event.
The chief managers of the festival are Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s daughters, Salima Hashmi and Muneeza Hashmi. This time, apart from Akhtar, litterateur Atul Tiwari from Mumbai and Arvinder Singh from Amritsar participated in the event. For three days, from 11 am to midnight, the participants thronged the three big auditoriums of the Alhamra Center to recite and discuss Faiz’s poetry and discuss the progressive movement in Pakistan. Each session involved conversations with eminent personalities from a variety of fields. For example, Pakistan’s famous ‘Lal Band’ won the attendees’ hearts at the music session.
New Urdu, English and Punjabi books were released, and there were informed discussions on them. The poetry session especially attracted crowds, but so did sessions on ‘Children’s literature in contemporary times’, ‘Role of women in Pakistani politics’, ‘Politics of Economics in Pakistan: An Alternative Perspective’, ‘Role of Women in Pakistani Cinema’, and others. The cuisine also fascinated people, but the most crucial point of this festival is attendees openly discussed the India-Pakistan relationship.
Faiz’s daughter Salima Hashmi told me over the phone, “This was the seventh festival organised in memory of progressive poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisers could not hold it for the last few years. In simple words, it is a festival of Faiz lovers spread all over the world. There is talk of knowledge, culture, music and poetry, people’s concerns and pro-people politics here. I believe this event can play an important role in the friendship between India and Pakistan. It is our endeavour that a delegation from India reaches every edition of this festival.”
She said, “Javed Akhtar attended this time, and celebrities like Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah attended the previous editions. Even today, Faiz’s poetry is loved in both countries. It inspires us to fight against plunder, injustice and exploitation, and that is why, when the youth of both countries raise their voice against injustice, they sing ‘Hum Dekhenge’. If many other countries worldwide can forget their differences and live in peace and brotherhood, why not us? We have a lot in common. Our common language, our common culture, our common sorrows....”
Ali Usman Bajwa, a young Punjabi storyteller who lives in Lahore, Pakistan, also shared his experiences about the festival. He said, “This is an important event in Pakistan, guided by leftist ideology, though people of all ideologies can, and do, visit. Apart from literature and art, the event allows people to toss up ideas and debate them. They especially discuss the Pakistani left—its future and how it can develop. Faiz was a poet of Urdu and Punjabi. He wrote some poems in his mother tongue Punjabi, which is why the session on Punjabi poetry is the most interesting.”
In 2019, Sukirat, a Punjabi litterateur from Indian Punjab, attended the Faiz Festival. Remembering the visit, he says, “It was a very impressive event. Such literary events are rarely seen in India. It simultaneously hosts discussions, music, and readings, and you also find young people getting politically engaged, distributing pamphlets and books, while revolutionary slogans echo throughout the venue.”
Sukirat said that when he visited in 2019, the Pakistani media was filled with news of a boy’s kidnapping in Balochistan. Progressive youth at the festival went around making people aware of this issue. Any festival implies a barrage of colours come together, but at the Faiz Festival, you also find people of different colours coming together by the thousands. It is for Indians to understand why most of the media sought to underplay this aspect of the event dedicated to one of the world’s foremost literary figures.
The author is an independent journalist based in Punjab. The views are personal.
Courtesy: Newsclick
What Indian Media Didn’t Tell Us About Faiz Festival in Lahore
Javed Akhtar’s remarks at the event are significant, but not more than the progressive environment the fair provides.
Image Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons
The Indian media widely publicised the Faiz Festival 2023 held in Lahore, Pakistan, between 17 and February 19, after the famous Indian lyricist Javed Akhtar, who attended the event, said in response to a question that the accused in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack are roaming freely in Pakistan. India’s media published this remark with sensational headlines such as ‘Javed Akhtar Tells Pakistan Off Clearly’, and ‘Javed Akhtar Entered Pakistan and Thrashed it’. However, the headlines and stories never mentioned that Akhtar’s audience, primarily Pakistanis, also clapped at this remark.
The significance of the support in Pakistan for Akhtar’s thinly-veiled criticism of the Pakistani establishment cannot be underplayed in the context of recent developments in India. The slightest criticism of a government decision or leaders of the ruling political party can end in attacks by troll armies, if not action by the State, against those who express the contrary view.
The media has been part of this suppression of ideas in India, which is probably why it did not highlight—or chose to censor—Akhtar’s emphasis on Indo-Pak friendship at the event either. The Faiz Festival is Pakistan’s most beloved literary festival, attended by people from around the world. Akhtar also suggested that India and Pakistan should strive to understand each other better. This would have been anathema for most of the mainstream Indian press and the ruling establishment in both countries.
Later, in an interview with an Indian TV channel, Akhtar said the government of India and the Indian people might have differences with the rulers of Pakistan, but why should they harbour anger towards the people of Pakistan? He also said the Pakistani general public wants friendship with India. It hardly needs an explanation why much of the mainstream press has suppressed or underplayed this information. What Akhtar said—he even acknowledged that the people of Pakistan showered him with love during this visit to the country—is against the trend in India to critique not just Pakistan’s State, which has undoubtedly been the source of worries and losses in India, but to blame every Pakistani for the actions of its governments.
The childish way in which a large section of the Indian media handled Akhtar’s visit cloaked the numerous merits of the Faiz Festival, primarily to show how the educated sections of society can pave a path of resistance to oppression. The 7th International Faiz Festival ’23, related to literature, art, music and progressive ideas, was organised by the Faiz Foundation Trust in collaboration with the Lahore Arts Consulate at the Alhamra Art Center Mall Road. Personalities associated with art, literature, music, the film world and progressive thinkers from Pakistan, India and other countries participated in this year’s event.
The chief managers of the festival are Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s daughters, Salima Hashmi and Muneeza Hashmi. This time, apart from Akhtar, litterateur Atul Tiwari from Mumbai and Arvinder Singh from Amritsar participated in the event. For three days, from 11 am to midnight, the participants thronged the three big auditoriums of the Alhamra Center to recite and discuss Faiz’s poetry and discuss the progressive movement in Pakistan. Each session involved conversations with eminent personalities from a variety of fields. For example, Pakistan’s famous ‘Lal Band’ won the attendees’ hearts at the music session.
New Urdu, English and Punjabi books were released, and there were informed discussions on them. The poetry session especially attracted crowds, but so did sessions on ‘Children’s literature in contemporary times’, ‘Role of women in Pakistani politics’, ‘Politics of Economics in Pakistan: An Alternative Perspective’, ‘Role of Women in Pakistani Cinema’, and others. The cuisine also fascinated people, but the most crucial point of this festival is attendees openly discussed the India-Pakistan relationship.
Faiz’s daughter Salima Hashmi told me over the phone, “This was the seventh festival organised in memory of progressive poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisers could not hold it for the last few years. In simple words, it is a festival of Faiz lovers spread all over the world. There is talk of knowledge, culture, music and poetry, people’s concerns and pro-people politics here. I believe this event can play an important role in the friendship between India and Pakistan. It is our endeavour that a delegation from India reaches every edition of this festival.”
She said, “Javed Akhtar attended this time, and celebrities like Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah attended the previous editions. Even today, Faiz’s poetry is loved in both countries. It inspires us to fight against plunder, injustice and exploitation, and that is why, when the youth of both countries raise their voice against injustice, they sing ‘Hum Dekhenge’. If many other countries worldwide can forget their differences and live in peace and brotherhood, why not us? We have a lot in common. Our common language, our common culture, our common sorrows....”
Ali Usman Bajwa, a young Punjabi storyteller who lives in Lahore, Pakistan, also shared his experiences about the festival. He said, “This is an important event in Pakistan, guided by leftist ideology, though people of all ideologies can, and do, visit. Apart from literature and art, the event allows people to toss up ideas and debate them. They especially discuss the Pakistani left—its future and how it can develop. Faiz was a poet of Urdu and Punjabi. He wrote some poems in his mother tongue Punjabi, which is why the session on Punjabi poetry is the most interesting.”
In 2019, Sukirat, a Punjabi litterateur from Indian Punjab, attended the Faiz Festival. Remembering the visit, he says, “It was a very impressive event. Such literary events are rarely seen in India. It simultaneously hosts discussions, music, and readings, and you also find young people getting politically engaged, distributing pamphlets and books, while revolutionary slogans echo throughout the venue.”
Sukirat said that when he visited in 2019, the Pakistani media was filled with news of a boy’s kidnapping in Balochistan. Progressive youth at the festival went around making people aware of this issue. Any festival implies a barrage of colours come together, but at the Faiz Festival, you also find people of different colours coming together by the thousands. It is for Indians to understand why most of the media sought to underplay this aspect of the event dedicated to one of the world’s foremost literary figures.
The author is an independent journalist based in Punjab. The views are personal.
Courtesy: Newsclick
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News18 India Fined by NBDSA for Airing Hateful Content in Two Shows, CJP Issues Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
Through two orders passed by the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority on February 28, the Authority has imposed fines of Rs. 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively in two separate complaints filed by CJP against the channel for airing two inflammatory and communally divisive shows.
The first such divisive telecast was titled ‘‘Desh nahi jhukne denge – Hinduo ke khilaf mahagathbandhan’’ was aired on January 18, 2022 and the other “Desh Nahin Jhukne Denge Aman Chopra के साथ” aired on October 4, 2022.
Both shows were hosted by Aman Chopra.
The show aired in January 2022 pitched Hindu voters against Muslim voters via an inflammatory narrative. The channel has been imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 for this telecast. The narrative became clear when the following tickers were displayed throughout the show’s running:
“15% Muslim 85% Hindu par bhari” (15% Muslims overshadow 85% Hindus)
“Jab Yogi Modi chale jayenge, tumhe kaun bachayega?” (When Yogi-Modi leave, who will save you?)
“Hinduon ke khilaf sab mil gaye hai?” (Everyone has colluded against the Hindus?)
The NBDSA observed in this order that the thrust of the programme had religious undertones and that it was communally polarizing. The Authority has thus imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 and directed the channel to display NBDSA’s order once every hour for 24 hours between March 6 and March 7. Significantly, the NBDSA has also ordered removal of the video of the show from the channel’s website as well as YouTube and all hyperlinks including access.
It also directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the said broadcast, if still available on the website of the channel, or YouTube, and remove all hyperlinks including access which should be confirmed to NBDSA in writing within seven days of the Order.
Apart from CJP that was the main complainant, Mr Anuj Dubey had also filed a second complaint.
The Order of the NBDSA:
Continuing with its divisive and anti-Muslim agenda, the channel, News18 aired another show against which CJP filed a complaint, in October 2022. In this show, Chopra was seen visibly cheering the Gujarat Police for beating men publicly with a stick for allegedly having pelted stones at a garba event. The same incident for which an inquiry has been instituted against the police officers in question. Through the entire “debate”, the members of the panel brought into question not just the various principles of Islam as a religion but also mocked speakers belonging to the Muslim community by asking them to hail Hindus gods on national television. Against this show, Mr. Indrajeet Ghorpade had also filed a complaint.
News18 was fined Rs. 25000 over the inflammatory and contentious contents of this second debate show “Desh Nahin Jhukne Denge Aman Chopra के साथ” aired on October 4, 2022 hosted by Aman Chopra
The complainant(s) had argued that the show in question, was an example of a brazen display of hatred towards one community merely over questioning their entry into Navratra garba pandals. Through the entire debate, the panellists brought into question not just the various principles of Islam as a religion but also mocked speakers belonging to the Muslim community by asking them to hail Hindus gods on national television.
The Authority also directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the said broadcast, if still available on the website of the channel, or YouTube, and remove all hyperlinks including access which should be confirmed to NBDSA in writing within seven days of the Order.
NBDSA, in its order further also noted that the impugned broadcast emanated from a viral video from Khera district of Gujarat, which showed a few men being publicly flogged for allegedly pelting stones at a garba event. The order also observed that the i programme in question was interspersed with statements made by the anchor which targeted, vilified and castigated the entire Muslim community for the actions of a few miscreants.
Significantly, too, the Order has observed that the tickers which were aired during the impugned broadcast, raised rhetorical questions, thereby reinforcing the narrative created by the broadcaster and gave the impression that all Muslim men attended garba celebrations only with ulterior motives.
In this second order, the NBDSA observed that the police failed to condemn the unlawful police violence. It further held that generalised statements about the Muslim community were also made through the show thus violating the guidelines and Code of Ethics set out by the Authority. The Authority has thus imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000 on the channel and has directed that the video of the show be removed from the website and YouTube as well as all hyperlinks including access.
The Order of the NBDSA:
News18 India Fined by NBDSA for Airing Hateful Content in Two Shows, CJP Issues Press Release
PRESS RELEASE
Through two orders passed by the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority on February 28, the Authority has imposed fines of Rs. 50,000 and Rs 25,000 respectively in two separate complaints filed by CJP against the channel for airing two inflammatory and communally divisive shows.
The first such divisive telecast was titled ‘‘Desh nahi jhukne denge – Hinduo ke khilaf mahagathbandhan’’ was aired on January 18, 2022 and the other “Desh Nahin Jhukne Denge Aman Chopra के साथ” aired on October 4, 2022.
Both shows were hosted by Aman Chopra.
The show aired in January 2022 pitched Hindu voters against Muslim voters via an inflammatory narrative. The channel has been imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 for this telecast. The narrative became clear when the following tickers were displayed throughout the show’s running:
“15% Muslim 85% Hindu par bhari” (15% Muslims overshadow 85% Hindus)
“Jab Yogi Modi chale jayenge, tumhe kaun bachayega?” (When Yogi-Modi leave, who will save you?)
“Hinduon ke khilaf sab mil gaye hai?” (Everyone has colluded against the Hindus?)
The NBDSA observed in this order that the thrust of the programme had religious undertones and that it was communally polarizing. The Authority has thus imposed a fine of Rs. 50,000 and directed the channel to display NBDSA’s order once every hour for 24 hours between March 6 and March 7. Significantly, the NBDSA has also ordered removal of the video of the show from the channel’s website as well as YouTube and all hyperlinks including access.
It also directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the said broadcast, if still available on the website of the channel, or YouTube, and remove all hyperlinks including access which should be confirmed to NBDSA in writing within seven days of the Order.
Apart from CJP that was the main complainant, Mr Anuj Dubey had also filed a second complaint.
The Order of the NBDSA:
Continuing with its divisive and anti-Muslim agenda, the channel, News18 aired another show against which CJP filed a complaint, in October 2022. In this show, Chopra was seen visibly cheering the Gujarat Police for beating men publicly with a stick for allegedly having pelted stones at a garba event. The same incident for which an inquiry has been instituted against the police officers in question. Through the entire “debate”, the members of the panel brought into question not just the various principles of Islam as a religion but also mocked speakers belonging to the Muslim community by asking them to hail Hindus gods on national television. Against this show, Mr. Indrajeet Ghorpade had also filed a complaint.
News18 was fined Rs. 25000 over the inflammatory and contentious contents of this second debate show “Desh Nahin Jhukne Denge Aman Chopra के साथ” aired on October 4, 2022 hosted by Aman Chopra
The complainant(s) had argued that the show in question, was an example of a brazen display of hatred towards one community merely over questioning their entry into Navratra garba pandals. Through the entire debate, the panellists brought into question not just the various principles of Islam as a religion but also mocked speakers belonging to the Muslim community by asking them to hail Hindus gods on national television.
The Authority also directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the said broadcast, if still available on the website of the channel, or YouTube, and remove all hyperlinks including access which should be confirmed to NBDSA in writing within seven days of the Order.
NBDSA, in its order further also noted that the impugned broadcast emanated from a viral video from Khera district of Gujarat, which showed a few men being publicly flogged for allegedly pelting stones at a garba event. The order also observed that the i programme in question was interspersed with statements made by the anchor which targeted, vilified and castigated the entire Muslim community for the actions of a few miscreants.
Significantly, too, the Order has observed that the tickers which were aired during the impugned broadcast, raised rhetorical questions, thereby reinforcing the narrative created by the broadcaster and gave the impression that all Muslim men attended garba celebrations only with ulterior motives.
In this second order, the NBDSA observed that the police failed to condemn the unlawful police violence. It further held that generalised statements about the Muslim community were also made through the show thus violating the guidelines and Code of Ethics set out by the Authority. The Authority has thus imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000 on the channel and has directed that the video of the show be removed from the website and YouTube as well as all hyperlinks including access.
The Order of the NBDSA: