Delhi High Court stays broadcast of TV show on 'Muslim infiltration'

new delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday restrained Sudarshan TV from telecasting 'Bindas Bol' programme, run by the channel Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke, who had in the show's recent promo claimed that he would "expose" an alleged "conspiracy" by Muslims to "infiltrate" the country's bureaucracy. The show was scheduled to air on Friday at 8 pm.

Justice Navin Chawla issued notices seeking replies from the central government, Sudarshan TV, and Chavhanke on a petition filed by former and present students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) university. The court listed the matter for further hearing on September 7.

The promotional video shared on Twitter also had a segment where Chavhanke posits to his viewers and asks, "What would you do if your next local official is a jihadi from Jamia?" - trying to conclude that Muslims were somehow "infiltrating" the civil services by passing the UPSC exams with high scores.

The plea contended that the proposed broadcast sought to defame, attack and incite hatred against JMI, its alumni, and the Muslim community at large. During the hearing, advocate Shadan Farasat, appearing for the petitioners, showed a video clip of the trailer that has been released by the TV channel for the programme Bindas Bol' and said it shows the programme could be in complete violation of the Programme Code.

He said irretrievable damage would be caused to the petitioners if the programme is allowed to be telecast today. Central government standing counsel Anurag Ahluwalia, representing the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, submitted that on several complaints having been received by the ministry, a notice has been issued to the TV channel seeking its clarification.

The court, in its order, said: Having considered the submission made, till the next date of hearing, the respondent nos. 3 and 4 (Sudarshan TV and Chavhanke) are restrained from telecasting the programme titled Bindas Bol' scheduled to be telecast at 8 PM today.

The court said, in the meantime, the ministry shall decide on the notice issued to the TV channel and place the decision before it.

Initially, the petition had made the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) as one of the parties to the petition. However, during the hearing, the counsel for UPSC said it was neither a necessary nor a proper party to the petition. On his submission, the petitioners' counsel said he will delete UPSC from the array

of parties.

The petition by Syed Mujtaba Athar, Ritesh Siraj and Aamir Subhani also sought that trailers and all videos of the broadcast which uploaded on the Internet be taken down, alleging that Chavhanke "has openly incited his target non-Muslim audience by fearmongering that jihadis' or terrorists from Jamia Millia Islamia would soon hold positions of authority and power like that of collector and secretary," it said.

It claimed that this would leave them open to the imminent threat of violence, including the possibility of lynching. It said a prima facie case is made out that the proposed broadcast amounts to hate speech and criminal defamation and fatally compromises the right to life and liberty of the

petitioners.