NBDSA orders TV news channels to remove programmes found violating code of ethics
New Delhi, Mar 1: The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has asked News18 India, TimesNow and Zee News to remove from their online platforms videos of certain programmes aired by them after it found them to be in violation of the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards and Specific Guidelines.
In an order on a complaint against News18 India for its programme 'Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge', the NBDSA found the debate on the premise that 20 per cent Muslims were ganging up against Hindus constituting 80 per cent of the country's population to be violating the fundamental principles of impartiality, objectivity and neutrality in reporting.
The NBDSA imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the channel and also directed it to run a ticker once every hour for 24 hours, starting at 8 am on March 6, stating that the said programme was found to be in violation of the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards relating to Impartiality, Objectivity and Neutrality and Specific Guidelines Covering Reportage relating to Racial and Religious Harmony.
Another programme pertaining to alleged police action during 'Garba' events in parts of Gujarat was broadcast on October 4, 2022. The NBDSA said News18 India had failed to condemn the police action and imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on the channel.
A separate order pertained to a News18 India report dated September 29, 2022, about Muslim men being physically assaulted by alleged Bajrang Dal members at 'Garba' events. The NBDSA said while the broadcaster had merely reported the said incidents as transpired in Ahmedabad, Indore and Akola, the language used in the tickers gave a "communal tilt to the broadcast".
A complaint was also lodged against the news channel's August 5, 2022, "Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge" debate titled "Ghazwa-e-Hind". The authority observed that the broadcast attempted to communalise the issue in respect of demographic changes around the border areas of the country due to infiltration. In this matter also, it imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on the channel.
In its order on a complaint against a Zee News programme, dated July 12, 2022, related to the Uttar Pradesh-Population Control Bill, the NBDSA said it was permissible to conduct a debate on the issue of population explosion, but the broadcast apparently "lacked objectivity and neutrality as it disproportionately focused only on one religion/community as being solely responsible for the population growth".
The NBDSA, in the case of a Times Now broadcast dated September 23, 2022, about a protest by the supporters of the since-banned Popular Front of India in Pune, cautioned the broadcaster to be more careful in future while reporting such stories.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
