In both the complaints, CJP had highlighted the partisan tenor used by the hosts to spread hatred for a particular religious minority. In one show, the protesting Muslims were deemed to be part of a “Jihadi Gang” conspiring to commit “Zameen Jihad”, while in the other show that host had unfoundedly accused the Muslims of instigating the community to destroy Ram Mandir.

First complaint- Eviction in Uttarakhand

The complaint: On January 30, a complaint had been filed by CJP with the NBDSA against the Times Now Navbharat’s communally divisive show titled “देवभूमि Uttarakhand में ‘जमीन जिहाद’ पर बुलडोजर एक्शन की बारी!” that aired on January 2, 2023. The show was based on the decision given by the Uttarakhand High Court, wherein the court had allowed the use of force to evict 4,000 families living on what the Railways had claimed to be their land.

Through the complaint, CJP had highlighted the polarising remarks that anchor had made with the aim of pushing the far-right propaganda of villianising the Muslim community. The complaint had raised objected to the derogatory and instigating terms used by the anchor, such as “Zameen Jihad”, “Mazhar Jihad”, “Jihaadi Gang” and “bulldozer action of the Dhami government”, to spread stigma and hatred against the Muslim community. The complaint had further argued that the one sided report presented in the show created suspicion in the minds of its viewers and persistently stigmatized the minority community to drive home the point that Muslims are always up to sinister activities by terming everything they into “Jihad” is harmful to the social fabric of this country.

The decision: Based on the submissions of both the parties and the complaint, the NBDSA noted that the broadcaster had given a communal colour to the whole issue of eviction on the orders of the Uttarakhand High Court. The NBDSA held that by portraying the protestors to be a part of a ‘Jihadi Gang’ and terming illegal encroachments as ‘Zameen Jihad’, the broadcaster had “re-iterated the prejudices or stereotypes that are historically used to target, attack and ridicule communities based on their religion.” Furthermore, the NBDSA observed that the word “Jihadi” was used out of context and the tickers in the background also reinforced the narrative of the broadcaster.

Based on the abovementioned, the NBDSA held the channel to be in violation of the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and the Specific Guidelines covering Reportage on Racial and Religious Harmony. For the violations committed, the NBDSA admonished the broadcaster to not repeat the same in the future.

It was further directed by the statutory authority that the broadcaster was to remove the video of the impugned show from their channel and/or Youtube along with all the hyperlinks, and confirm the same to the NBDSA in writing within 7 days of the order.

The complete order can be read here: (Order 174)

Second complaint- Ram Mandir debate show

The complaint: On January 24, CJP had escalated a complaint to the NBDSA against Times Now Navbharat over their debate show aired on December 30, 2022 titled ‘Rashtravad | 2024 में Ram Mandir का उद्घाटन… अभी हथौड़े’ की बात क्यों?’ The debate topic in the show was an inflammatory comment made by a so-called maulvi Sajid Rashidi who is known to have extremist and unpopular views. By picking his statements as a news point and a point to conduct an hour long debate upon, the complaint urges that the channel gave fire to the discourse that was put to rest with the Supreme Court judgement in the Ayodhya land dispute verdict.

The complaint filed by CJP stated that the channel brazenly picked up a communal statement and made it a point of debate, and further exacerbated the impact of a divisive statement by calling in speakers with radicalized views and allowing them to hurl abuses at each other and also physically assault each other. The complaint further alleged that the intention of the show from the word go was to play with heightened communal sentiments, spread anti-Muslim sentiments and bash the entire Muslim community based on statements made by one Muslim individuals. The complaint also highlighted the problematic tickers that were used by the host, such as “Hindustan me ‘gazwa-e-hind’ ka plan? (Gazwa-i-hind being planned in India?)” and “Ram mandir todne ko uksayenge? (Will he incite them to destroy ram mandir?)”.

The order: The NBDSA took note of the objection raised by the complainant regarding conducting a debate show based on a statement made by Maulana Sajid Rashidi. On this, the NBDSA observed that “while it may have been inappropriate and uncharitable for the broadcaster to conduct a debate on the said topic”, the commission cannot impinge upon the right of the broadcaster to exercise their freedom of speech. Nonetheless, the commission also held that the broadcaster were required to their freedom in accordance with the guidelines, standards, code and advisories of the NBDSA.

Pertaining to this, the NBDSA held that the debate was not in good taste and did not follow the Specific Guidelines for Anchors conducting Programmes including Debates. In view of this, the NBDSA issued a warning to the broadcaster against telecasting such debates as well as be careful in selecting panellists for debates. The NBDSA also advised the broadcaster to strictly adhere to the guidelines set by the Commission. In furtherance to this, the statutory authority also directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the impugned show from their channel and/or Youtube along with all the hyperlinks, and confirm the same to the NBDSA in writing within 7 days of the order.

The complete order can be read here: (Order 173)

In both the cases, CJP was represented by Advocate Aparna Bhatt and Advocate Karishma Maria.

Related:

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The post CJP Impact! NBDSA orders removal of two Times Now Navbharat shows (videos) appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Chaudhary also made claims that when these mazaars were demolished with bulldozers and inspected, it was found that the graves did not have any human remains in them. This means that there is a grave but there are no human remains. However, no official source has been cited for the same.

He also points towards the growth in Muslim population in Uttarakhand comparing 2001 figures to 2023 (estimated figures). He skips to mention that these were estimated figures in a bid to depict falsely the large delta in population.  Further, he encouraged all viewers to tweet using the term #MazaarJihad which encouraged many users to tweet hateful comments about the same.

“Any journalist following the principles laid down by the NBDSA and abiding by principles guided by journalistic ethics would have just presented the news factually and dispassionately, that a state government report has claimed that illegal mazaars were “found in Uttarakhand”. Instead, Sudhir Chaudhary, who’s past record shows, and who is one of the main propagators of such a Stigma filled, Anti-Muslim narrative in the commercial electronic media, this time goes several stages further and, in fact virtually exhorts his viewers to “look around for such Mazaars and report them to the police,” the complaint states.

CJP has also written that the claims made by Chaudhary have been debunked by an official report by the forest department which stated that there are more illegal temples in forest areas than illegal mazaars which takes away completely the basis on which the show was aired.

The entire complaint may be read here:

Download PDF

Related:

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CJP IMPACT: NBSA PULLS UP AAJ TAK FOR COMMUNAL CONTENT DURING AYODHYA VERDICT COVERAGE

The post Another Sudhir Chaudhary show under the scanner for using the term ‘Mazaar Jihad’ appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Citizens for Justice and Peace wrote to Aaj Tak (India Today Group) raising concerns over their show “Black and White” hosted by Sudhir Chaudhary. On the show, Chaudhary was conducting an “analysis” of alleged illegal mazaars (Islamic shrines) in Uttarakhand.

Chaudhary, once again, came up with an inventive term with the infamously perilous ‘jihad’ suffix and called it “Mazaar Jihad”. Even though the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has repeatedly reprimanded and warned news broadcasters against using such derogatory terms and indulging in such deleterious name calling, channels like Aaj Tak, especially Sudhir Chaudhary seems to be unaffected by the same.

Pointing out the same, CJP in its complaint, has underscored certain extracts from the show that are contentious.

A mazaar is a shrine which usually belongs to some religious leader or sufi saint. In the show, Chaudhary claims that there are multiple mazaars in Uttarakhand where the name of the person buried there is the same across locations. He questions how one person can have shrines in different places.

Further, he claims that the mazaars after being demolished were examined and it was found that there are no human remains in the grave, which means that these were fake shrines, intended to encroach upon government land so that people from Muslim community can start living on that encroached land. He made these wild claims without giving any source for such a claim or any solid basis.

He also encouraged people to look around them and if they see any mazaar, ask the police or local MLA to have it examined to ensure that it is not a fake mazaar. He also kept encouraging his viewers throughout the show, to tweet using the hashtag #MazaarJihad.

After he encouraged his viewers to tweet with #MazzarJihad it was found that the twitter social media platform was rife with such tweets which were denigrating towards the Muslim community. This indicates that the following that Chaudhary has is vast and so is his influence.

The complaint states, “Any journalist following the principles laid down by the NBDSA and going by journalistic ethics would have just presented the news as whereby a government report has claimed that illegal mazaars were found in Uttarakhand and presenting what has been found or alleged. However, Sudhir Chaudhary is one of the main propagators of the Anti-Muslim narrative and while he claims to be neutral by expressly stating so, his so-called neutrality is laid bare when he sues such terms like “Mazaar Jihad” and asks people to look around them for mazaars and report them to the police to verify if they are real.”

The complaint may be read here:

Related:

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CJP VICTORY! NBDSA FINES NEWS18 OVER HATEFUL SHOWS

CJP VICTORY: NBDSA SLAMS FINE OF RS. 25,000 ON NEWS18

CJP IMPACT! NBDSA WARNS NEWS18 INDIA AGAINST RUNNING COMMUNAL NARRATIVE, FINES RS. 50,000

The post CJP complaint to Aaj Tak for airing show using the term “Mazaar Jihad” appeared first on SabrangIndia.