[Breaking] Sudarshan TV's UPSC Jihad Show Not In "Good Taste", Likely To Promote Communal Attitudes: MIB Cautions Channel

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court stating that Sudarshan TV's UPSC Jihad program is "not in good taste" and has likelihood to "promote communal attitudes". In this context, it has "cautioned" the Suresh Chavhanke led channel to be "careful in future." 

"The MIB after examining all facts and circumstances of the case and balancing fundamental rights of the broadcaster, hereby CAUTIONS Sudarshan TV Channel Ltd to be careful in future. It is further directed that if any violation of the Programme Code is found in future, stricter penal action would be taken", the order issued to the channel said..

Further, the ministry, by exercising its powers regulatory powers has stated that the channel should review the content of future episodes of the Programme "Bindas Bol - UPSC Jihad" and that the audio visual content should be suitably moderated and modified so as to ensure that there is violation of the Code.

The said order has come in light of the proceedings that the MIB was partaking against Sudarshan TV for its alleged violation of Programme Code under Rule 6 of the Cable TV Networks Rules, 1994 framed under the Cable TV Networks Act, 1995 for its telecast of the programme titled "Bindas Bol - UPSC Jihad".

For this purpose, an Inter Ministerial Committee (IMC) was formulated.

The affidavit states that the Ministry in concurrence with the findings and recommendations of the IMC.

"The Ministry is of the opinion that while freedom of speech of expression is a Fundamental Right, the tone and tenor of the episodes telecast do indicate that the channel has through the various utterances and audio-visual content breached the Programme Code. The ministry finds that they are not in good taste, offensive and has likelihood of promoting communal attitudes".

Apropos this, the Ministry has annexed the order which states that Sudarshan TV has been directed to make due compliance of the aforesaid directions before telecast and report the same of the ministry forthwith.

The Central Government last month had informed the Supreme Court that the Inter-Ministerial Committee(IMC) had made some additional recommendations with respect to the Sudarshan News TV channel, which was facing complaints of propagating communal hatred over its show 'Bindas Bol' about the entry of Muslims into All India Civil Services.

Earlier, the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had served notice to the channel over complaints of violations of the program code under the Cable TV Network Regulation Act.

The matter will be taken up tomorrow before a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud.

Click Here To Read Affidavit