New Delhi: Private news channel Sudarshan News Monday filed a 950-page reply in response to the show cause notice issued by the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry over violation of programme code in its controversial show ‘Bindas Bol’, which sought to “expose” an alleged “conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims” into the Indian civil services, ThePrint has learnt.
The channel had termed the alleged conspiracy “bureaucracy jihad” and “UPSC jihad”.
The Centre had earlier told the Supreme Court that the show — four episodes of which have already been aired — had prima facie violated the programme code after which a show cause notice was issued to the channel by the I&B ministry.
The notice issued on 23 September had raised 13 points mentioned in various episodes of the show, which it said was in apparent violation of the code and sought the channel’s reply by 28 September.
The Programme and Advertising Codes prescribed under Cable TV Network Rules, 1994, lists what cannot be carried by a cable service.
Rule 6 (c) states no programme should be carried in the cable service, which contains attacks on religions and communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote communal attitudes.
When ThePrint reached editor-in-chief of the channel Suresh Chavhanke for a comment on the channel’s reply, he said: “We stood by whatever we have shown in the show.”
Also read: ‘UPSC jihad’ show an investigative report, says Sudarshan News editor, wants SC to lift ban
Channel’s statement
Sudarshan News said that attempts are being made to project a “nationalist channel” as “anti-national and anti-constitutional”, according to the channel’s cover letter attached with its reply.
Sources said that in reply to one of the points raised by the ministry in its notice that the show falsely showed that Muslim candidates get age relaxation of 35 years, Sudarshan News said they were referring to Muslims, who were OBC candidates.
The channel also said that while candidates are not supposed to reveal their identities in the UPSC examinations, most candidates writing their papers in Urdu are disclosing their community by way of language and the papers are also checked by members of the same community.
In its show, the channel had alleged this had increased successes of those candidates in the exam.
The channel also mentioned in its reply that it was a caller that said members of the Muslim community are eating into the reservation offered to Hindus through OBC quota.
The reply is also learnt to have highlighted certain slides of a presentation shown by Zakat Foundation that provides free coaching to underprivileged Muslim candidates for the civil service exam.
Govt’s responsibility to protect media
Sudarshan TV said guests and panellists on the channel are being threatened and as a result the channel has been incurring losses worth crores of rupees.
“Will the I&B Ministry give permissions and punishments or will it also take a step forward to protect us? The responsibility to protect media freedom lies with the government too,” it said in its cover letter.
It further said the channel’s “investigative reporting” got embroiled in a legal battle and so the “biggest revelation” on danger to the country’s security got stuck and the accused are taking advantage of it to delete evidence.
It also claimed if the episodes would not have come out, then the “link between global terrorists organisations and Zakat Foundation” would not have been exposed.
Also read: Tell us how tone of ‘UPSC jihad’ show will change, Supreme Court asks Sudarshan News
On the pretext of right to speak and journalism, they are spreading the venom of communal hatred among Indians. With false reports and prejudiced analysis, misleading common man to forward the Agenda of Fascists and racist RSS.
They still think that they can run amok, with the support of BJP government at centre. But they have to remember that India still has its judiciary system which can halt their Ill works.
Kudos to Indian Judiciary.