Updated: September 15, 2020 9:40:07 pm
The proposed program, in Suresh Chavhanke’s Sudarshan News, had come under judicial scrutiny before the Delhi High Court and High Court last month. (Proceedings)
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court suspended the broadcast of episodes of the Sudarshan TV program ‘Bindas Bol’, saying that at this time, it appears prima facie that the program “vilifies the Muslim community.” Calling it a “rabid show,” the court also blocked Sudarshan TV from broadcasting the show today and tomorrow, while postponing the matter to September 17.
Hearing a petition raising a complaint about the program, a bank headed by Judge DY Chandrachud said: “Look at this program, how rabid this program is that a community is entering civil services.”
“See how insinuating the theme of this show is that Muslims have infiltrated services and this puts UPSC exams under a scanner without any factual basis,” said the court, which also includes judges Indu Malhotra and KM. Joseph.
The court noted concern about the way some media outlets were conducting the debate “as all sorts of defamatory things are being said.” “These insidious charges also put a question mark on the UPSC exams. Sprays have been launched on UPSC. Such accusations without any factual basis, how can this be allowed? “Can such programs be allowed in a free society?” Said the bank.
The program, claimed by the channel in promotions as a “major exposition on the conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims into government service,” has been a center of controversy. On August 28, the high court had refused to impose a pre-broadcast ban on the show.
He had sent a notice to the Center, the Press Council of India, the Association of News Broadcasters and Sudarshan News about a statement made by defender Firoz Iqbal Khan, who has filed a complaint related to the program.
Attorney General Tushar Mehta told the high court that journalists’ freedom is paramount and that it would be “disastrous for any democracy to control the press.”
Top defender Shyam Divan, who appears on Sudarshan TV, told the bank that the channel viewed it as a national security investigative story.
To this, the bank told Divan, “Your client is doing the nation a disservice and does not accept that India is a fusion point of diverse culture. Your client must exercise his freedom with caution. “
He also said there should be some kind of self-regulation in the media and that he would listen to the attorney general on this issue. “We are not saying that states will impose such guidelines, as it would be anathema to Article 19 of freedom of expression,” the court said.
The high court observed that the revenue model of television channels and their ownership patterns should be in the public domain on the website.
“The point is that the right of the media is only on behalf of the citizens and it is not an exclusive right of the media,” the bank said.
“Electronic media have become more powerful than print media and we have not supported the pre-broadcast ban,” he added.
During the videoconference hearing, the court referred to the “criminal investigation” being carried out by some media. “When journalists operate, they need to work around the right to a fair comment. See criminal investigation, the media often focus only on one part of the investigation, “he said.
The bank told Divan: “We expect some kind of restraint from your client (Sudarshan TV).”
Appearing before the petitioner, lead counsel Anoop G Chaudhary said that the Delhi High Court had referred the matter to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, but that the ministry did not approve a reasoned order. He said the ministry allowed the broadcast and did not listen to the other side and simply took the channel’s statement that it would follow the broadcast rules.
The Delhi High Court, on September 11, had refused to suspend the broadcast of the series of programs.
(with PTI inputs)
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