The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed the telecast of the episodes of Sudarshan TV’s show ‘Bindas Bol’ stating the reason that the show, in the first impression appeared to criticize the Muslim community. Tagging it as a ‘rabid program’.
The program named “Bindas Bol” of which seven out of nine episodes were aired with a tagline of “Muslim infiltrators” entering India’s prestigious Civil Services by cracking UPSC is extremely “controversial” according to the channel, under the “Big Expose” cannot be aired now.
The court said that they will be adjourning the matter to September 17, till then, Sudarshan TV is restricted from telecasting the program today and tomorrow.
After hearing the petition raised against the program, Justice DY Chandrachud said in his statement, “Look at this program, how rabid the program is, that one community is entering into civil services”.
“See how insinuating the subject is, a program that Muslims have infiltrated the services and due to this, the UPSC examination is under scanner without any factual basis,” stated the bench, comprising Justices Indu Malhotra and K M Joseph.
Like all kinds of things being said, by some media houses to tarnish a group of the community through their exclusive held debates or Prime Times, Sudarshan TV tops the chart as the most vocal media house against Muslims since the beginning.
The court observed this as a matter of concern and action, much delayed, but is taken to preserve social harmony and punish the media house, whose approach was in the direction to spread communal hatred and religion phobias and, in this case, “islamophobia”.
Also read: Naukarshahi-Jihad: The Latest Tool To Fan Religious Hatred On Sudarshan News
“Defamation has been cast upon UPSC. Allegations without any accurate basis, how can it be allowed? Can such programs be allowed in any free society,” The Bench stated further objecting to the TV Channel’s Show
A notice has been issued to the Center of, News Broadcasters Association, The Press Council of India, and Sudarshan News about a petition filed by Advocate Firoz Iqbal Khan who has raised grievances against the program.
In the top court, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told that the freedom of the press is a top priority, therefore, it would be ravaging for any democratic country to control the press.
Shyam Divan, the senior advocate, who also appeared on Sudarshan TV and told the bench that the channel considered it as an investigative story-based on national security.
To this statement of Divan, the bench replied: “Your client is doing a disservice to the nation and he is not accepting that India is a melting point of diverse culture and needs to exercise his freedom with caution”.
“We expect your client to have some kind of self-control (Sudarshan TV)”. The bench further added.
Appearing for the petitioner, Senior Advocate Anoop G Chaudhary said The Delhi High Court had referred this matter to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry but the ministry did not pass a logical order. He also mentioned that the ministry allowed the broadcast and did not hear the other side and simply took the statement of the channel that would follow the broadcasting rules.
On 11 September, Delhi high court had declined to stay the telecast of the series of programs.
Also read: Delhi High Court Stays Broadcast Of Sudarshan TV’s ‘UPSC Jihad’ Program
