Gauhar Raza is a well known scientist, poet and filmmaker. He is also a civil rights activist. And that, probably pre-qualifies him to be added to the growing list of eminent citizens, who have been named in a list Delhi Police seems to be tending, and growing as if it were a houseplant.

Raza’s name is the latest addition on the ‘list’ which also includes advocate Prashant Bhushan, CPI-ML Politburo member Kavita Krishnan, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and student activist Kawalpreet Kaur. All of them have been named in the “disclosure statements” that have been attributed to those accused, and under investigation into an alleged ‘conspiracy’ that  is said to have somehow led to the North East Delhi riots of February 2020. The Delhi Police filed the chargesheet last week.

Gauhar Raza has issued a strong statement addressing the Delhi Police. He stated:

Apart from Raza, others in this batch of names include advocate Prashant Bhushan, CPI-ML Politburo member Kavita Krishnan, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and student activist Kawalpreet Kaur. Khurshid’ name figures in the disclosure statements of accused Khalid Saifi as well as former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan reported Indian Express. It was reported that Saifi’s disclosure statement from March 30 mentions that to “keep the protest going and sustaining it for long”, he and Jahan called many people, including Khurshid, to deliver “provocative speeches (bhadkau bhashan)” which apparently would entice those sitting on protests “to campaign against the government for the sake of their religion,” his disclosure statement reportelty reads. The IE added that statement of a protected witness, made under Section 164 CrPC, also names Khurshid as having made a provocative speech. 

Meanwhile Khurshid told the IE that “If you pick up all the garbage there is, you will end up with over 17,000 sheets of a chargesheet. A chargesheet is supposed to be distilled, authentic, effective and useful evidence of a cognizable offence. If someone says that 12 people came and made provocative speeches, it can’t be that 12 people made the same kind of provocative speech and each one had the same level of provocation. Provocation and mobilisation is not a criminal offence in this country.”

Raza’s name too came up for allegedly “instigating Muslims” through his speech at Khureji. According to IE, a protected ected witness said Raza, along with others, “spoke wrong and objectionable things against CAA, NRC and the current government, and instigated Muslims”. Prashant Bhushan was named in the statements of Saifi and Ishrat Jahan as also having given a speech at Khureji. 

Bhushan told IE, that “This is a part of Delhi Police’s strategy to gradually implicate any prominent person who was speaking in support of the protest against CAA. I did go to a few places and speak quite strongly against the CAA and in support of the protest. I never make any speech which is provocative in the sense that it provokes violence. I did speak strongly against the government and if they get provoked, then I can’t really help it.”

Kanwalpreet Kaur’s name is mentioned in the original disclosure statement of Saifi dated May 25, in which he says he was in touch with her, among others, to “plan with them” and get them to send “provocative messages/tweets” so that the “Muslim community feels angered towards the government and its policies due to religious reasons”.

Kawalpreet Kaur, once the state president of All India Students Association (AISA), had already been subjected to security by the Special Cell. The police had seized her cell phone for ‘investigation’. In April, a team of around six police persons, including a police woman, went to Kanwalpreet Kaur’s house and asked her to surrender her android phone to them. “I have nothing to hide,” she had told SabrangIndia once she was reachable on a relative’s phone. That was not the first time the police had come looking for her, that month.

The disclosure statement of one of the 15 accused, Shadab Ahmed, dated May 27, mentions the names of 38 persons, including Krishnan, Kaur and Umar Khalid’s father S Q R Ilyas, as having made “provocative speeches” at the Chand Bagh protest site.

Kaur told IE that allegations against her were “absurd and false”. “None of this is true. None of my speeches talked about violence. With regard to Saifi, I was not in touch with him on WhatsApp or other platforms. This is part of the larger witch hunt of activists dissenting against the government,” she said.

Related: 

Didn’t give speech, told police about dharna plan: Delhi police charge sheet believes Kapil Mishra
Communal violence was to uproot elected govt: Delhi police riots chargesheet
More activists named in riots case: Delhi Police getting desperate?
Police need to stop criminalising the anti CAA protests: Prof. Apoorvanand
Umar Khalid arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell
“To my utter shock, the police seized my phone citing inquiry into the Delhi violence”

The post Delhi Police ‘conspirators list’ is to save actual perpetrators of violence, suppress all dissent: Gauhar Raza appeared first on SabrangIndia.

In September 2017, the autonomous News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) has passed an order directing Zee News to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh and telecast a public apology during Prime Time to poet and scientist Gauhar Raza for branding him as an “anti-national”.

The fine was to be paid within 7 days. The apology was to have been published on September 8 at 9 p.m. on Zee News, “in Hindi text, in large font size, on full screen, and a clearly audible vioce over in slow speed”.

Zee News had telecast a programme titled ‘Afzal [Guru] Premi Gang’ several times in March last year in which derogatory statements were made against participants in the ‘Shankar-Shaad Mushaira’, held annually to promote Indo-Pak friendship.

An outraged Raza had filed a complaint with the NBSA alleging that he had been “maligned, defamed and hate engineered against him by the malicious, concocted and motivated news telecast carried by Zee News.” The complaint said the programme had aired only selected portions of some of his poems and branded him “anti-national” on the basis of prejudice and malice.    

A joint complaint was filed simultaneously by eminent artists like Ashok Vajpeyi, Shubha Mudgal, Sharmila Tagore and Syeda Hameed. Advocate Vrinda Grover argued on behalf of Raza and other complainants.

The NBSA order had observed: “The broadcaster had failed to give an opportunity to professor Gauhar Raza, who was being reported upon, to give his version/views; broadcasting a programme using the footage of JNU incidents with the poetry recital of Raza and giving title to the programme as ‘Afzal Premi Gang ka Mushaira’ was highly inappropriate and derogatory as mere reference by Prof. Gauhar Raza while reciting poetry to ‘Kanhaiya’, ‘Nehru University’ and ‘Rohit Vemula’, could not be a ground to brand the poet, the organizers of Mushaira and the audience as Afzal Premi Gang.”

A press statement then issued by Raza said “the NBSA has awarded the highest punishment in its jurisdiction, reaffirming that big media houses cannot trample over the rights of citizens to freedom of speech and expression, which includes the right to dissent”.
 

The post NBSA Rejects ZEE News’ Revision, Channel Must Apologise to Gauhar Raza appeared first on SabrangIndia.

The autonomous News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA) has passed an order directing Zee News to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh and telecast a public apology during Prime Time to poet and scientist Gauhar Raza for branding him as an “anti-national”.

The fine is to be paid within 7 days. The apology is to be published on September 8 at 9 p.m. on Zee News, “in Hindi text, in large font size, on full screen, and a clearly audible vioce over in slow speed”.

Zee News had telecast a programme titled ‘Afzal [Guru] Premi Gang’ several times in March last year in which derogatory statements were made against participants in the ‘Shankar-Shaad Mushaira’, held annually to promote Indo-Pak friendship.

An outraged Raza had filed a complaint with the NBSA alleging that he had been “maligned, defamed and hate engineered against him by the malicious, concocted and motivated news telecast carried by Zee News.” The complaint said the programme had aired only selected portions of some of his poems and branded him “anti-national” on the basis of prejudice and malice.    

A joint complaint was filed simultaneously by eminent artists like Ashok Vajpeyi, Shubha Mudgal, Sharmila Tagore and Syeda Hameed. Advocate Vrinda Grover argued on behalf of Raza and other complainants.

The NBSA order observes: “The broadcaster had failed to give an opportunity to professor Gauhar Raza, who was being reported upon, to give his version/views; broadcasting a programme using the footage of JNU incidents with the poetry recital of Raza and giving title to the programme as ‘Afzal Premi Gang ka Mushaira’ was highly inappropriate and derogatory as mere reference by Prof. Gauhar Raza while reciting poetry to ‘Kanhaiya’, ‘Nehru University’ and ‘Rohit Vemula’, could not be a ground to brand the poet, the organizers of Mushaira and the audience as Afzal Premi Gang.”

A press statement issued by Raza said “the NBSA has awarded the highest punishment in its jurisdiction, reaffirming that big media houses cannot trample over the rights of citizens to freedom of speech and expression, which includes the right to dissent”.

Meanwhile, talking to the Indian Express, the editor-in-chief of Zee News Sudhir Chowdhary denied his channel had breached any NBSA guidelines. Claiming that “we follow all journalistic principles and guidelines issued by NBA while telecast of news stories,” Chowdhary said the channel will appeal against the order.

Read the full order.

The post Zee News asked to pay 1 lakh fine, apologise to poet, scientist Gauhar Raza for maligning him as “anti-national” appeared first on SabrangIndia.

"When a powerful media like television turns against voiceless and powerless citizens, this is a matter of great concern in a democracy. In Pakistan too this has not happened; though the State turned against its people, the media did not," Gauhar Raza to SabrangIndia.

Outraged and aggrieved at being portrayed as anti-national (See Link) well known poet, scientist and academician Gauhar Raza has lodged a strong complaint. (Here is a copy). The complaint to Zee News has alleged that the show “caused serious and severe harm to my reputation and has endangered the safety of my family and me.” Raza has also sought a corrigendum, public apology and compensation of Rs one crore from the channel.

In a letter and e-mail to Prasanna Raghav, the additional vice president for strategy and execution at Zee Media Corporation Limited, Raza has alleged that the telecast of the programme – Afzal Premi Gang ka Mushaira – which first aired on March 9, 2016 with multiple telecasts over the following days, constituted a “grave and repeated breach of the News Broadcasters Association’s Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards.” Raza states that the programme, ostensibly on the annual Shankar-Shad Mushaira that took place in New Delhi on March 5, was highly defamatory and repeatedly pronounced him an “anti-national.” This was highly prejudiced and baseless, the complaint states.

The notice also contains a detailed letter to the Zee News by writers, Ashok Vajpeyi, poet, Shubha Mudgal, Singer, Sharmila Tagore, actor, Naseeruddin Shah, actor.  Syeda Hameed, writer jointly citing the violations of the law and guidelines.

Raza has said that at the poet’s conclave, he had recited some poems but the Zee programme only telecast selective portions of certain poems. “At the aforesaid event, I recited three poems; one poem which I had written in 1989 about the murder of street theatre and cultural activist Safdar Hashmi; another poem that I had written in 2010 about the killing of two journalists in Iraq and the third poem that I have written in this year,” he wrote. Sabrangindia had posted the selection of Gauhar Raza’s poetry and this can be read here.

The Notice to Zee News points out the following Violations:
“The programme telecast by you is in serious violation of a series of guidelines and standards laid down by the National Broadcasters Association, which Zee News as a members of the NBA is obliged to respect and follow.

The NBA has laid down that, 
1.      Professional electronic journalists should accept and understand that they operate as trustees of public and should, therefore, make it their mission to seek the truth and to report it fairly with integrity and independence. Professional journalists should stand fully accountable for their actions. (Section 1, Fundamental Principles, Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards, NBA.)

The NBA has prescribed that neutrality is a fundamental principle of electronic journalism,

4. Broadcasters shall, in particular, ensure that they do not select news for the purpose of either promoting or hindering either side of any controversial public issue. News shall not be selected or designed to promote any particular belief, opinion or desires of any interest group.

5. The fundamental purpose of dissemination of news in a democracy is to educate and inform the people of the happenings in the country, so that the people of the country understand significant events and form their own conclusions.  (Section 1, Fundamental Principles, Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards, NBA.)

The principles for self-regulation laid down by the NBA place further emphasis on accuracy of information and facts,

1) Impartiality and objectivity in reporting: Accuracy is at the heart of the news television business. (Section 1, Fundamental Principles, Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards, NBA.)
Further, the NBA standards, specifically direct News channels that,

…news channels must strive to ensure that allegations are not portrayed as fact and charges are not conveyed as an act of guilt. (Section 1, Fundamental Principles, Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards, NBA.)
The NBA has prescribed certain ‘Principles for Self-regulation’,

The purpose of putting together the principles of self regulation is to avoid compromising the genre of television news by broadcasting content that is malicious, biased, regressive, knowingly inaccurate, hurtful, misleading, or aimed at willfully concealing a conflict of interest. (Section 2, Principles for Self-Regulation, Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards, NBA.)
 
Besides, the notice states that the Zee news programme violates the principles of impartiality, objectivity and neutrality, contained in the News Broadcasters Association’s Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards. The programme aired by Zee News has displayed a blatant disregard for either professional integrity or the truth. Each of the ‘Principles for Self-regulation’ have been flouted by Zee News by telecasting content that is malicious, biased, regressive, knowingly inaccurate, hurtful, misleading.

Providing links to the programme, Raza said in his complaint that the comments and assumptions telecast by Zee News were framed in an “aggressive, intimidating, and browbeating style,” and was telecast with commentary and taglines labelling him as “anti-national poet.” Part of the programme  (Afzal Premi gang ka Mushayra | Part I of the programme linked Raza’s poems to recent incidents at Jawaharlal Nehru University; in an attempt to draw a parallel to the protests at the university, the programme showed him recite “Yeh mat bhulon agli naslein jalta shola hoti hain, Aag kuredogay chingari daaman tak to aayegi” (roughly translated to mean, do not forget the future generations are like ambers, if you would dig into them, the sparks will reach you).

Another poem recited by Raza reflected on the return of awards by artistes in the wake intolerance debate, ignited by the killing of Mohammad Akhlaq in Dadri over rumours that he had eaten beef. “Phankaron say poochtay hain kyon lotaye samman, Poochon kitnay chup baithain hain, chain unhay kab aayega” (They ask the artistes why they returned the awards, but they should ask those sitting silently what will make them rise).

Ironically, most of the poems recited by Raza were revolutionary in nature and reflected on the curbs on freedom, largely effected by extremist organisations. “Yeh matt khao, woh mat pehnon, ishq toh karna bilkul mat, desh droh ki chhap tumhaaray upar bhi lag jayegi” (Be careful of what you eat, do or say, or you too may be labeled an anti-national), one poem went on to say.

In his letter to Raghav, Raza said had recited three poems at the event, “one poem which I had written in 1989 about the murder of street theatre and cultural activist Safdar Hashmi; another poem that I had written in 2010 about the killing of two journalists in Iraq and the third poem that I have written in this year.”

The complaint by Gauhar Raza draws attention to to the provocative manner in which the poems were presented in the Zee News show. Raza wrote, “I watched the programme on Zee News channel on 9th March 2016 which contained reportage and commentary that is not only defamatory, malicious, false, motivated, and derogatory but also incendiary and telecast with a view to incite hatred, ill-will against me and endanger the security of me and my family. I am deeply aggrieved by this programme.”

He also raised an issue with the anchor, commentary and subtitles repeatedly referred to him as a member of the “Afzal Guru premi gang” and a “desh virodhi shayar,” and portrayed him as part of a gang that sought to break India into many parts. “These and similar highly defamatory and derogatory statements made throughout the Zee News programmes are completely unfounded and baseless,” he said.

He also asserted that some of the slogan shouting at JNU shown by the channel as part of the programme was based on doctored videos (HYPERLINK PLEASE https://sabrangindia.in/article/jnu-vc-briefs-media-‘rustication’-keeps-deans-and-faculty-dark      ) and the same has been proved by forensic analysis carried out by other TV channels and an enquiry ordered by the Delhi Government”.

As a member of the News Broadcasters Association, says Raza in his complaint, Zee News was obligated to respect and follow the guidelines and standards laid down by the body, going on to say that the programmes in question had violated the “principles of impartiality, objectivity and neutrality,” contained in the the association’s code of ethics and broadcasting standards.

“Further, the commentary by the Zee News anchor distorts and manipulates my poetry to give it a different imputation and colour, and falsely states that I made statements in support of Afzal Guru. Not only has the Zee News programme distorted the words of my poem, but has also added unfounded allegations against me which are designed to promote hatred against me. The programme carries only baseless conclusions after providing the viewer with inaccurate and concocted statements,” Raza charged.

Highlighting the dangerous consequences of such “malicious propaganda,” Raza said he had started receiving “several intimidating and threatening messages and emails” and that Zee News’ “hate campaign” was “causing a grave apprehension of harm to me and my wife Shabnam Hashmi who is also in public life.”

Along with the compensation and apology, Raza has also demanded that the channel give an undertaking that Zee News shall not telecast the programmes again. He has also demanded that the channel removes all copies of the programme from its websites, social media and the internet.

So far Raza has not received any response or acknowledgement from Zee News so far, adding that he had not approached senior editor and anchor Sudhir Chaudhary with the letter as it was not required. Raza said he would wait for a mandatory seven-day period for a response from Raghav before filing a complaint with the broadcasters’ association.

The post Gauhar Raza slaps notice on Zee News, seeks compensation and public apology appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Dark times are a test of creativity; they are also a test of the zeal and intensity  with which the creative writer, poet, artist, musician and the public intellectual, if s/he is true to her/his art, engages with and reflects these times in her/his creations. 

1998-99 was the 40th death anniversary of Bertolt Brecht it was also the tenth year of the assault on Safdar and Gauhar Raza made a film on Bertolt Brecht as a tribute to Brecht and to Safdar and to foreground the question of both speaking and silences.
In the 'Svendborg Poems' Brecht was to say.

This is the year which people will talk about
This is the year which people will be silent about
 

Who will talk and who keeps their council about these times will be remembered and even when these times are long gone and those who were responsible for inflicting these terrible times are dead and forgotten, people will remember those who spoke up and they will not forgive those that had not

Gauhar Raza’a tribute to Brecht and to Safdar used this 1938 poem of Brecht in an Urdu translation, the English translation in ‘Singing About the Dark Times’: Poetry and Conflict by Sarah Maguire http://www.poetrytranslation.org/articles/singing-about-the-dark-times-poetry-and-conflict is reproduced below
 

They won't say: when the walnut tree shook in the wind
But: when the house painter crushed the workers.
They won't say: when the child skimmed a flat stone across the rapids
But: when the great wars were being prepared for.
They won't say: when the woman came into the room
But: when the great powers joined forces against the workers.
However, they won't say: the times were dark
Rather: why were their poets silent? 

The times we are living in are times when to remain silent is to connive with all those who are responsible for unleashing a reign of terror against all those who dare disagree.

We are living in times that in times to come, even the theoretical possibility of their return will scare the generations yet to be born. And if the poets, the writers, the film makers, the actors, the intellectuals do not speak up then the generations yet to come, when they are born and grown up, will ask why were you silent, why did you not speak?

Those that speak up will be targeted, as they have always been targeted, but this has never stopped them. We don’t have to wait for the questions to come from future generations. We too can ask, just as Rohith Vemula did, his four comrades Dontha Prasanth, Vijay Kumar, Sheshaiah Chemudugunta and Velpula Sunkana did, just as Kanhaya did, Umar did Anirban did, Nivedita Menon did and many others have and thousands are doing every day.

The questions don’t have to stop, they have only one answer, physical force, and that answer is doomed from its inception. Physical force has never been able to supress questions. Our ability to ask questions and our insistence about asking them is the guarantee of their defeat.
Here are some questions Gauhar Raza the Scientist, the Film Maker, the Poet asked at a Mushaira
 
धर्म में लिपटी वतन परस्ती क्या क्या स्वांग रचाएगी
मसली कलियाँ, झुलसा गुलशन, ज़र्द ख़िज़ाँ दिखलाएगी
 
यूरोप जिस वहशत से अब भी सहमा सहमा रहता है 
खतरा है वह वहशत मेरे मुल्क में आग लगायेगी 
 
जर्मन गैसकदों से अबतक खून की बदबू आती है 
अंधी वतन परस्ती हम को उस रस्ते ले जायेगी 
 
अंधे  कुएं में झूट की नाव तेज़ चली थी मान लिया 
लेकिन बाहर रौशन दुनियां तुम से सच बुलवायेगी 
 
नफ़रत में जो पले बढे हैं, नफ़रत में जो खेले हैं 
नफ़रत देखो आगे आगे उनसे क्या करवायेगी 
 
फनकारो से पूछ रहे हो क्यों लौटाए हैं सम्मान 
पूछो, कितने चुप बैठे हैं, शर्म उन्हें कब आयेगी 
 
यह मत खाओ, वह मत पहनो, इश्क़ तो बिलकुल करना मत 
देश द्रोह की छाप तुम्हारे ऊपर भी लग जायेगी 
 
यह मत भूलो अगली नस्लें रौशन शोला होती हैं 
आग कुरेदोगे, चिंगारी दामन तक तो आएगी 
 
And Zee News, known for its creativity had found its next Target. Zee News, purportedly the purveyor of news, but increasingly known for doctoring videos and manufacturing rumours, has taken upon itself to prove that Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban are engaging in activities detrimental to the safety of India.

The Channel has been tying itself in knots for close to a week trying to prove that professor Nivedita Menon is anti-national and it has now picked on Gauhar Raza for reciting his poetry at the 51^st Shankar Shad Mushaira organised by the DCM group, according to Zee News this was a gathering of friends of Afzal Guru.

The question is can they silence the rising crescendo of protest, can they prevent people from asking embarrassing questions can they brow beat  I.25  billion people?

Clearly the answer is no, The Government does not elect the people and it cannot dismiss them or overthrow them, it is always the other way round and the questions have begun to roll in.
 
 (The author is a founding trustee of SAHMAT. a writer, film maker and heritage enthusiast; he is also the brother of Safdar Hashmi)

The post Can a Government silence the Rising Crescendo of Protest? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Having chosen to be part of the sanghi lynch mob, Zee News has cast aside every pretense of journalistic ethics. Already in the dock for doctoring videos to aide the ABVP's sinister agenda of raising the bogey of 'anti-nationals' at JNU, in its ongoing witch-hunt it has found fresh targets in poet and scientist Gauhar Raza  and academic Nivedita Menon. Reproduced below is the poem that Raza recited at a recent mushaira, a portion of which was plucked out of context by Zee News to tar the poet with "anti-national" brush.
 

Gauhar Raza / गौहर रज़ा
 
आग कुरेदोगे, चिंगारी दामन तक तो आएगी…

'धर्म में लिपटी वतन परस्ती क्या क्या स्वांग रचाएगी
मसली कलियाँ, झुलसा गुलशन, ज़र्द ख़िज़ाँ दिखलाएगी
यूरोप जिस वहशत से अब भी सहमा सहमा रहता है
खतरा है वह वहशत मेरे मुल्क में आग लगायेगी
जर्मन गैसकदों से अबतक खून की बदबू आती है
अंधी वतन परस्ती हम को उस रस्ते ले जायेगी
अंधे कुएं में झूट की नाव तेज़ चली थी मान लिया
लेकिन बाहर रौशन दुनियां तुम से सच बुलवायेगी
नफ़रत में जो पले बढे हैं, नफ़रत में जो खेले हैं
नफ़रत देखो आगे आगे उनसे क्या करवायेगी
फनकारो से पूछ रहे हो क्यों लौटाए हैं सम्मान
पूछो, कितने चुप बैठे हैं, शर्म उन्हें कब आयेगी
यह मत खाओ, वह मत पहनो, इश्क़ तो बिलकुल करना मत
देश द्रोह की छाप तुम्हारे ऊपर भी लग जायेगी
यह मत भूलो अगली नस्लें रौशन शोला होती हैं
आग कुरेदोगे, चिंगारी दामन तक तो आएगी'
-गौहर रज़ा

[IN ROMAN SCRIPT]

aag kuredoge, chingari daaman tak to aayegi…

Dharm me lipti watan parasti kya kya swang rachayegi,
masli kaliyan, jhulsa gulshan, zard khizaan dikhlayengi..
Europe jis vahshat se ab bhi sehma sehma rehta hai,
khatra hai wo vahshat mere mulq mein aag lagayegi..
German gaskado (gas chambers) se ab tak khoon ki badboo aati hai,
andhi watan parasti hum ko us raste le jayegi..
Andhe kuen me jhooth ki naav tez chali thi maan liya,
lekin bahar roshan dunia tum se sach bulwayegi..
Nafrat me jo pale badhe hain, nafrat me jo khele hain,
nafrat dekho aage aage unse kya karwayegi..
Fankaron se pooch rahe ho kyun lautaye hain samman,
Poocho, kitne chup baithe hain, sharm unhe kab aayegi..
Yeh mat khao, wo mat pehno, ishq to bilkul karna mat,
deshdroh ki chap tumhare upar bhi lag jayegi..
Yeh mat bhulo agli naslein roshan shola hoti hain,
aag kuredoge, chingari daaman tak to aayegi…

— Gauhar Raza

Courtesy: Communalism Blogspot

SEE ALSO:

The statement in Defence of Gauhar Raza (March 10, 2016)
 

The post आग कुरेदोगे, चिंगारी दामन तक तो आएगी… appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Singling out of individuals and creating a mass-frenzy against them using the medium of TV is a dangerous trend. Zee TV initiated this defamatory exercise in the case of the students of the JNU also, and these doctored videos have become the basis of arrest and harassment of Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban. They have not yet apologised for this highly irresponsible act. Despite their bluff being called, they have persisted.

That Zee News can continue to flout all ethical codes of journalistic conduct, and conduct this relentless tirade against Nivedita Menon and Gauhar Raza is criminal and unacceptable. We call upon the Press Council of India and the Broadcast Association to take note of this criminality and initiate necessary action against the channel. We also appeal to the governments of Delhi and the centre to initiate criminal proceeding against the channel for putting a citizen’s life under threat.

We strongly condemn this unethical and criminal act of the Zee news and demand an unconditional apology from them.

ABHA BHAIYA
ABHA DEV HABIB, DU
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ARJUN DEV
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BHASHA SINGH, JOURNALIST AND WRITER
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