Plea in HC seeks to refrain news channels from broadcasting communal content

New Delhi, Oct 27 : Days after the TV commercial of Tata’s jewelry brand Tanshiq courted controversy, a petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court seeking the court’s directions to the authorities to regulate news channels with regard to broadcasting and publishing content based on communal disharmony and hate speech.
The plea filed by advocate Asghar Khan also sought the creation of a mechanism to check communal contents of media houses.
“It can be clearly inferred from the advertisement that the purpose of the said advertisement was to showcase the spirit of unity and brotherhood among two religious groups. However, Sudharsahan TV in its 8 pm show ‘Bindas Bol’ dated 12.10.2020 made its best attempts to incite hatred among the above said religious group,” the plea said.
The plea further stated that an insidious attempt has been made to insinuate that the community is involved in a planned conspiracy to infiltrate the advertisement agency.
The plea said that the programme code under the Cable and Television Networks (Regulation) Rules stipulate that no programme should be carried which contains attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote communal attitudes.
This programme (of Sudarshan TV) violated the programme code enumerated under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995, together with the Code of Ethics and News Broadcasting Standards Regulations, it said.