Avoid scandalous headlines, provocative claims: Govt to TV channels on Ukraine, Delhi riots coverage
New Delhi(PTI): In a strong advisory to private television channels, the government on Saturday said certain debates on the coverage of the Ukraine-Russia conflict and the Delhi riots had provocative and socially unacceptable language, and it took exception to headlines such as 'Parmanu (nuclear) Putin' and 'Ali, Bali aur Khalbali (unrest)'.
While the government found television news channels making "false claims" and "frequently misquoting" international agencies while reporting on the Ukraine conflict, it took objection to the reportage on "incidents" in northwest Delhi, contending that channels had given communal colour to the actions of authority.
It also said that certain debates on television channels on the Delhi violence had unparliamentary, provocative and socially unacceptable language.
"Having regard to the above, the government expresses serious concern about the manner in which the television channels have gone about their operations in the matter of transmitting content ," read the advisory issued by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to self-regulating bodies of television channels.
It also "strongly advised" them to immediately refrain from publishing and transmitting any content which is violative of the aforementioned provisions of The Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, and the rules thereunder.
The government cited specific instances of "hyberbolic" statements by news anchors and "scandalous headlines/taglines" while reporting on the Ukraine-Russia conflict and disrupting the investigation process into the incidents in northwest Delhi by airing unverified CCTV footage.
Section 6 of the Programme Code under the Act states that "no programme should be carried in the cable service which offends against good taste or decency; contains criticism of friendly countries, contains attack on religions or communities or visuals or words contemptuous of religious groups or which promote communal attitudes; contains anything, obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive innuendos and half truths".
The advisory said that while reporting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict it has been observed that channels have been making false claims and frequently misquoting international agencies or actors, and using "scandalous headlines or taglines" completely unrelated to the news.
The advisory also cited instances use of headlines or taglines such as 'Parmanu Putin se pareshan Zelenski (Zelenski worried about nuclear Putin), 'Parmanu action ki chinta se Zelenski ko depression' (Zelenski goes into depression over nuclear action), and making of "unverified claims misquoting" international agencies that the third world war has already started.
"One channel aired fabricated pictures claiming to be the proof of the upcoming nuclear attack on Ukraine. This completely speculative news story seems to be intending to misguide the viewers and arouse psychological upheavals inside them," the advisory noted.
On the Delhi riots, the ministry took objection to a news channel repeatedly carrying a video clip of a man belonging to a specific community carrying a sword, and claims made by another that the violence targeting the religious procession was pre-planned.
The ministry has also cautioned private TV channels against broadcasting debates having unparliamentary, provocative and socially unacceptable language, communal remarks and derogatory references which may have a negative psychological impact on viewers and may also incite communal disharmony and disturb the peace at large.
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Modi inciting people, dividing society, alleges Kharge; Uddhav says 'acche din' coming after June 4
Mumbai (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of inciting people and dividing society through his election speeches.
Kharge was addressing a press conference of the INDIA bloc, where NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray and other leaders were present. The opposition alliance held an election rally in the city on Friday.
"No prime minister before Modi has ever indulged in inciting people like he has been doing. He speaks about democracy repeatedly but doesn’t adhere to the tenets of democracy," Kharge said.
Responding to a question on PM Modi' statement that the Congress will bulldoze the Ram mandir in Ayodhya and also restore Article 370 if the INDIA bloc is voted to power, Kharge said, "We have never used a bulldozer on anyone. Modi has the habit of lying and inciting people about things which Congress will never do or the things that are impossible to be implemented."
Asked about his party's stand on Article 370, Kharge said , "I am not answerable to Modi. We will implement what we have promised in our manifesto."
Attacking the PM further, he said, "Wherever he goes, he tries to create division, speaks of dividing society."
PM Modi had described the Congress' manifesto as Muslim League manifesto, but now he says it is a Maoist manifesto, Kharge added.
The Congress chief assured that reservation as enshrined in the Constitution will continue and nobody can touch it.
Speaking on the occasion, Thackeray said, "'Achche din' are coming from June 4 (when Lok Sabha poll results will be declared) when INDIA bloc-led government takes charge."
"PM Modi calls us 'nakli' (fake) Shiv Sena, tomorrow he may call RSS as 'nakli Sangh'," the former chief minister said.
The BJP is floating 'Pakistan flags in our rally' narrative to divert people's attention from issues like jobs, he alleged.
Pawar said that after coming to power, the INDIA bloc government's duty will be to protect all religious places in the country.
Kharge noted that if elected, the opposition alliance's government will implement a simple, single rate GST, replacing the present GST.
"We introduced Food Security Act, but PM Modi is taking credit for free ration supply," he alleged.
