NBDSA pulls up news channel for violation of Code of Ethics

The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has pulled up Hindi news channel News18 India for two complaints received against two separate news debate programmes aired on the channel.

The first complaint is regarding a news debate programme aired on News18 India on 6.4.2022. The complainant stated that Al Qaeda chief, Zawahiri, had praised Muskan Khan, a Muslim student from Karnataka for confronting a mob that heckled her for wearing the hijab earlier this year.

In the programme, the anchor referred to the Muslim students as "Hijabi Gang", "Hijabwali Gazwa Gang" and made a false allegations that they had resorted to rioting. He claimed that Zawahiri and terrorist organisations were behind the entire Hijab row and that in India, there are many “Hijabi” representatives of Zawahiri, and it's "the Zawahiri gang". Further, he added that Zawahiri was the face and the students were his mask.

In its reply dated 12.5.2022, News18 India denied the allegations made in the complaint and stated that it had not violated NBDSA’s guidelines or any other applicable guidelines, rules or law. The broadcaster maintained that its telecasts were consistent with the NBDSA’s policy on accurate, impartial, fair and neutral reporting without affecting religious harmony.

The second complaint, filed on 23.4.2022, was against a news debate aired on News18 India on 20.4.2022. The complainant stated that the impugned programme, started with the anchor glorifying the alleged illegal anti-encroachment drive in Delhi by saying "Desh nahi jhukne denge, Bulldozer nahi rukne denge"; "India with Bulldozer" and "Desh mange Bulldozer Raaj". He called the people affected by the alleged illegal anti-encroachment drive “rioters”, “jihadi”, “Rohingya” and raised the question "Inn dangaiyon ke, jihadiyon ke, in rohingyaon ke, kitne vaqeel?".  The anchor also made the following statement "Paththar jihadiyon par karvai, bohot dukhi hai dangai", during the programme, implying that all affected people were rioters. Further, he wished a Muslim panellist present on the show, "Ramzan ki Ram Ram aapko".

In its reply dated 12.5.2022, News18 India denied the allegations made in the complaint dated 23.4.2022 and stated that it had not violated the NBDSA’s guidelines or any other applicable guidelines, rules or law. Its telecasts were consistent with the NBDSA’s policy on accurate, impartial, fair and neutral reporting without affecting religious harmony.

In its order, the NBDSA stated that observed that while it had no issue with the subjects of the two debates, however, the problem lay with the narrative and the tilt that was given to the programme.

In the case of the complaint against the news debate on the Hijab issue, NBDSA held that “the impugned programme was violative of the principles relating to Impartiality, Neutrality, Fairness and Good Taste & Decency under the Specific Guidelines Covering Reportage, apart from the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards. NBDSA stated that the broadcaster would be well advised to guide and train its anchor on how to conduct debates on such sensitive issues.”

NBDSA further directed the broadcaster to remove the video of the programme from its website and all platforms and that the same should be confirmed to NBDSA in writing within 7 days of the Order.