NBDSA slaps ₹25,000 fine on News18 for vilifying entire Muslim community for acts of few miscreants

The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) on Monday imposed a fine of ₹25,000 on television news channel, News18 India for adding communal colour in its show titled 'Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge' on the incident of public flogging of Muslim men in Gujarat [Indrajeet Ghorpade and Anr. vs News 18 India]. .Justice AK Sikri observed that the show under scanner was interspersed with statements made by the anchor, Aman Chopra, which targeted, vilified and castigated the entire Muslim community for the actions of a few miscreants..The complaint was filed by one Indrajeet Ghorpade on October 6, 2022, alleging that on October 4, 2022, in the show, the channel celebrated police violence by calling it 'police ki Dandiya'..According to him, not only did the channel fail to condemn the violence but also repeatedly aired visuals glorifying it, and also unfairly declared the subjects of the violence to be guilty of pelting stones at a Garba event in Gujarat..He further alleged that by connecting stone pelting with 'jihad' and by making generalized negative statements about young Muslim men, including accusing them of of engaging in crimes or suspicious behaviour at Garba events, the channel had tarnished the image of the Muslim community. .Hence, he contended that the show aired by News18 violated NBDSA's guidelines around depiction of violence, religious harmony, accuracy, neutrality and fairness..In reply, News18 stated that the show was consistent with NBDSA's guidelines and applicable laws. It contended that the show was based on a widely reported incident of stone pelting and subsequent police action, which took place during the occasion of Garba in Khera District of Gujarat and vehemently denied that the phrase 'Dandiya' was used to celebrate police violence..Further, it denied that the show had given the issue a communal colour by contending that it had merely reported the issue as it had taken place and also sought opinions on the same from the panelists on the show, including on the police violence..The NBDSA noted that a similar complaint was filed by Citizens for Justice & Peace in respect of the same show. Since the issue was the same, it passed a common order..It noted that the broadcast in question emanated from a viral video from Khera District in Gujarat which showed a few men being publicly flogged for allegedly pelting stoned at a Garba event..Taking the anchor's statements on the show into account, the NBDSA held that by condemning the entire Muslim community for the actions of a few miscreants, it was the anchor who gave the incident a communal tilt..Further, it observed that the tickers aired during the broadcast raised rhetorical questions and reinforced the narrative created by the broadcaster that Muslim men attend Garba events only with ulterior motives.It also held that keeping the video of the police beating the alleged miscreants on loop gave the impression that the actions of the police were justified..Therefore, the NBDSA held that by making generalized statements about members of the Muslim community, and by failing to condemn police violence in the impugned broadcast, News18 had violated the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards, Clause 9 of the Specific Guidelines covering Reportage pertaining to Racial & Religious Harmony and the Guidelines to prevent communal colour in reporting crimes, riots, rumours and such related incidents, which states,"In broadcasting the commission of crime etc., it must be borne in mind that any communal colour to it has no relevance and, therefore, any reference to the community of the accused corrodes our secular fabric.".Accordingly, keeping in mind the 'repetitive nature' of the violations, the NBDSA issued News18 a warning and also slapped a fine of ₹25,000. Further, it directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the broadcast from its website as well as its YouTube channel..[Read Order]