High Court declines to stay telecast of ‘UPSC Jihad’ episode on Sudarshan News

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to stay the telecast of ‘UPSC Jihad’ episode on Sudarshan News, a Hindi news channel.

The ‘Bindas Bol’ program of Sudarshan TV created major flutter on social media after the launch of its promo, which talked about running a big expose on the ‘conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims into government service’.

The episode ‘UPSC Jihad’, part of Binda Bol programme is about to go on air on Friday at 8 PM.

The court ruling comes as a major relief for the channel as it vindicates its stand the show had no communal overtones and was based on investigative reports.

Sudarshan News Editor in Chief Suresh Chavhanke had come under direct fire on Twitter after promo launch, as many asserted that the content of show was highly communal and its broadcast would harm the impressionable minds and also create divisions in society.

I&B Ministry’s nod to air TV show

Yesterday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting allowed Sudarshan News to broadcast the TV show on “infiltration of Muslims” in Civil Services.

The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry said it cannot pre-censor a programme, or stop it from being telecast. “If only, when the programme is telecast and any violation of law is found, action can be taken,” it said in order.

The ministry said it had sent a notice to Sudarshan News seeking its comments on whether the show adheres to the programme code. The channel replied in a written submission that it is not violative of the law and action can be taken against it if the show turns out to be, the ministry added.

While refusing to put any stay on the show, Justice Navin Chawla today issued notice and sought reply of the Centre and Sudarshan News and its Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavhanke on a petition filed by former and present students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University challenging the nod given by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to the channel’s broadcast.