NBDSA directs Times Now Navbharat to take down videos of three news reports

Taking action on complaints received against three news reports aired on Times Now Navbharat, the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has directed the Hindi News channel to take down those news videos.

The first complaint was received against the programme, ‘Sawal Public Ka – Garba bahana, Hindu Betiyan Nishana; Love Jihad News’, aired on September 29, 2022. Complainants Indrajeet Ghorpade and Matin Mujawar stated that the impugned programme, which was a news report about a Muslim man being physically assaulted by Bajrang Dal members at a Garba event violated the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards relating to accuracy, impartiality, neutrality, objectivity, and glorification of crime, apart from the Specific Guidelines Covering Reportage relating to Racial and Religious Harmony.

The second complaint was regarding a programme aired on December 30, 2022, ‘Rashtravad | 2024 mein Ram Mandir ka udghatan... Abhi hathode ke baat kyun?’ The complainant, Citizens for Justice & Peace, stated that in the impugned show a debate was conducted on some inflammatory and inciteful statements made by one Sajid Rashidi on Ayodhya and Ram Mandir, which had the potential to blow up into a communal disharmony. By picking the statements as a news points and conducting an hour-long debate, the channel had chosen to be partial and promoted a communal narrative.

In the third complaint received, complainant, Citizens for Justice & Peace, alleged that Times Now Navbharat’s programme, ‘Devbhoomi Uttarakhand mein zameen jihad par bulldozer action ki baari’, aired on January 2, 2023, started with the anchor spreading his communal diatribe. The complainant stated that the channel tried to goad the audience into accepting a prejudicial, anti-Muslim narrative throughout the nine-minute segment.

Since the complainants did not receive any response from the broadcaster within the time stipulated under the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Regulation, the complaints were escalated to the second level of redressal, that is, NBDSA.

‘Sawal Public Ka – Garba bahana, Hindu Betiyan Nishana; Love Jihad News’

In the case of the programme, ‘Sawal Public Ka – Garba bahana, Hindu Betiyan Nishana; Love Jihad News’, the NBDSA considered the complaint, response from the broadcaster and also gave due consideration to the submissions of the complainant ad the broadcaster and viewed the footage of the broadcast.

Following this, NBDSA held that by airing the impugned broadcast and the tickers, the broadcaster had violated the Guidelines to prevent communal colour in reporting crime, riots, rumours and such related incidents and the Specific Guidelines Covering Reportage relating to Racial and Religious Harmony.

In view of this, NBDSA directed Times Now Navbharat to remove the video of the said broadcast, including all hyperlinks and give confirmation of the same in writing within seven days of the order.

‘Rashtravad | 2024 mein Ram Mandir ka udghatan... Abhi hathode ke baat kyun?’

In the case of the programme, ‘Rashtravad | 2024 mein Ram Mandir ka udghatan... Abhi hathode ke baat kyun?’, the NBDSA considered the complaint, repose of the broadcaster, and also gave due consideration to the submissions of the parties and viewed the footage of the broadcasts.

On viewing the footage of the programme, it is apparent that no meaningful discussion could be carried out as the panellists verbally abused each other and there was a physical scuffle between the panellists during the broadcast.

NBDSA warned the broadcaster not to telecast such debates on statements of fanatics and also be careful in selecting panellists for debates. NBDSA also directed Times Now Navbharat to remove the video of the said broadcast.

‘Devbhoomi Uttarakhand mein zameen jihad par bulldozer action ki baari’

In the case of the programme, ‘Devbhoomi Uttarakhand mein zameen jihad par bulldozer action ki baari’, NBDSA observed that the broadcaster had, in its reply, stated that the impugned broadcast was a news report on the disputed land in Haldwani, which was conducted in the backdrop of the decision of the Uttarakhand High Court. NBDSA noted that there would have been no problem with the broadcast if the broadcaster had confined its analysis only to the issue of disputed land in Handwani in light of the Uttarakhand High Court judgement. However, on perusal of the impugned broadcast, it can be seen that a communal colour ws given to the issue by the anchor.

In vide of this, NBDSA admonished the broadcaster not to repeat such violations in future and also directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the said broadcast.