The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has initiated action against Hindi news channels Aaj Tak, Times Now Navbharat and News18 India, for disseminating hatred and communal disharmony through their news programmes.As per the complainant, Indrajeet Ghorpade, the programmes on these channels discussed topics like 'love jihad' and communal violence, targeting a particular community (Muslims).NBDSA Chairperson Justice (retd) AK Sikri imposed fines of ₹1,00,000 on Times Now Navbharat and ₹50,000 on News18 India, while issuing a warning to Aaj Tak. All three channels have been directed to remove the online uploads of the objectionable programs within seven days.In the complaint filed against Aaj Tak's Black and White show, it was alleged that the anchor kept blaming Muslims for the violence in Nalanda, Bihar."The anchor failed to mention that a mosque was burnt down in Nalanda, Bihar, that Muslim shops and houses around the mosque were also burnt down and that the cops did not arrive for several hours while the burning was taking place, and when they did arrive, they misbehaved with Muslim women and looted the house," the complaint stated.The complainant alleged that during the broadcast, the anchor falsely claimed that there are "only Muslim areas" in India where one is not allowed to enter.NBDSA observed that there would have been no problem with the broadcast if the broadcaster had confined its analysis to the incidents of communal violence."It appears that in the broadcast, the incidents of communal violence committed by a few miscreants had been generalized by the anchor to target a particular community. This is evident from the statements made by the anchor in the broadcast," NBDSA said while issuing a warning to Aaj Tak to be cautious in future broadcasts.The complaint filed against Times Now Navbharat contended that during one of the channel's broadcasts, headlines containing generalized statements and allegations were presented as the "Truth of the Country," aimed at demonizing and spreading hatred against the Muslim community.It was stated that the anchor incorrectly cited Shraddha Walkar, who was brutally murdered in 2022, as an example of "love jihad".Moreover, the complainant alleged that upon searching the channel's broadcasts from the past year on the topic of 'love jihad,' an endless scroll of such programmes were found.Upon reviewing the disputed broadcast, NBDSA opined that it was evident that the anchor immediately concluded that men from a specific community deceived women from another community by concealing their religious identity, resulting in violence or murders against such women.Further, every instance of violence or murder involving women from a particular community was linked to 'love jihad', NBDSA noted.
Merely because a Hindu girl married a boy of another faith would not be tantamount to 'love jihad' unless it is established that such Hindu girl was duped or coerced into the marriage, it added.
"Some such instances should not lead to making generalized statements regarding inter-faith marriages by giving it a communal color. Every citizen, from whichever religion, has a right to marry a person of his/her choice, irrespective of the religion to which he/she belongs," noted NBDSA while imposing a fine of ₹1lakh on Times Now Navbharat.
The third complaint alleged that News18 India used the Shraddha Walkar murder case to flame communal fires by connecting it to the Islamophobic conspiracy theory of 'love jihad'.
"The channel selectively chose cases where victims were Hindu women and perpetrators were Muslim men and failed to mention the instances of violence committed by men of other faiths against women," it was contended.
NBDSA observed that while the media has the right to conduct debates on any topic of its choice, it may have been inappropriate for the broadcaster to have conducted several debates on the subject of 'love jihad' while linking it to the Shraddha Walkar murder case.
"The broadcaster also has a right to hold debates on the Shradha Walker murder case however, it must be cautious in that the broadcast should not prejudice the rights of the accused and /or result in a media trial," it added.
NBDSA remarked that the term "love jihad" should not be used casually and should be employed with careful consideration in future broadcasts.
It emphasized that religious stereotyping could erode the secular fabric of the country, inflict irreparable harm on a community and foster religious intolerance or disharmony.
"Broadcasts were not only violative of the principles of neutrality, impartiality and accuracy under the Code of Ethics but also violative of the Specific Guidelines covering Reportage relating to Racial and Religious Harmony," noted NBDSA while imposing a penalty of ₹50,000 on the news channel.
Accordingly, NBDSA ordered the three Hindi news channels to take down the videos from all platforms.
Advocate Vrinda Bhandari represented Aaj Tak.
Advocate Kunal Tandon represented Times Now Navbharat.
Advocate Puneesh Kochar represented News18 India.
TAGS: NBDSA Hindi news channels Aaj Tak
