NBDSA directs News18 India to delete segment suggesting Arvind Kejriwal’s guilt in excise case
New Delhi: The News Broadcasting Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has ordered News18 India to remove a segment of its broadcast following complaints about the show's handling of the excise case involving former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The segment, aired on March 28, 2024, during the show Goonj with Rubika Liyaquat, was deemed to have violated the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards.
The complainant, Indrajeet Ghorpade, claimed that the show’s anchor, Rubika Liyaquat, wrongly implied Kejriwal's guilt by making statements like "aapki khaal uttar jayengi?" and "agar apne corruption nhi kara hota toh apke against itne bade charges frame nhi hoti?", which suggested his involvement in a scam while the matter is still sub judice. The complainant further alleged that the broadcast violated principles of impartiality, accuracy, and fairness, and that Liyaquat’s monologue against the freedom of speech during the debate was inappropriate.
Upon reviewing the footage, NBDSA, chaired by former Supreme Court Justice AK Sikri, found that while the anchor had the right to defend the Prime Minister, the attribution of guilt in a sub judice matter was a clear violation of the guidelines for reporting court proceedings. The authority emphasised that the anchor should have maintained a professional tone and refrained from engaging in debates that detract from the programme's purpose.
NBDSA instructed News18 India to edit the broadcast by removing the contentious segment within seven days of the order. The broadcaster denied the allegations, claiming the anchor had simply called for a respectful tone during the debate and had not implied Kejriwal’s guilt.
The complaint has been closed with the broadcaster advised to adhere to the guidelines in future broadcasts.
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Kejriwal responds to EC, says water received from Haryana 'extremely poisonous' for human health
New Delhi (PTI): AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday responded to the Election Commission notice over his claim the Haryana government was "mixing poison" in Yamuna, and said raw water received from the BJP-ruled state in the recent past has been "highly contaminated and extremely poisonous" for human health.
In the 14-page reply to the Election Commission, the former Delhi chief minister said if such "toxic water" is allowed to be consumed by human population it would lead to grave health hazard and fatality.
Kejriwal said he only wanted to highlight the "urgent public health crisis" due to the quality of drinking water in the city, and he violated no law or Model Code of Conduct, hence the issue should be closed.
He said the "alleged statements" attributed to him were made as it was his public duty to red flag the "severe toxicity and contamination" of raw water received from the BJP-ruled state.
Following a complaint filed by the BJP over the matter, the Election Commission issued the notice to Kejriwal on Tuesday, giving him time till Wednesday 8 pm to furnish his reply.
Kejriwal also said the ammonia level in raw water received from Haryana was so "extreme" that water treatment plants in Delhi are unable to process and bring it down to safe and permissible limits for human consumption.
Following their party chief's response, the AAP issued a statement, saying, "It is an undisputed fact that there is 7 ppm ammonia in Yamuna water, A Delhi Jal Board CEO letter admits toxicity is 700 percent higher than the permissible limit."
In his response to the EC, Kejriwal also alleged that Haryana's "failure" in controlling pollution in Yamuna has resulted in an "unprecedented public health crisis" in Delhi. He alleged "indiscriminate" discharge of industrial waste in the river by the state.
The AAP supremo said Haryana is an upper-riparian state and Delhi, ruled by his party, has no role to play in the high level of toxic water being made available to the city.
"Due to such high level of toxic content in the raw water supplied by Haryana, the water treatment plants in Delhi are operating below capacity and there is a shortage of treated water in Delhi," he claimed.
Saying that access to clean water is a basic human right, the AAP chief asserted that raising this critical issue cannot be considered an offence.
"The said statement by no stretch of the imagination can be termed inciting enmity between different groups or prejudicial to national integration," he said.
On the contrary, the substance and purpose of these statements are rooted solely in the public interest, aimed at highlighting a legitimate civic concern that requires urgent institutional intervention, he asserted.
He requested the EC to intervene in the matter and issue appropriate directions to Haryana so safe water is made available to the people of Delhi.
