NBDSA takes action against Aaj Tak, Times Now Navbharat, for 'fictional video' on Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi: In a recent development, the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has issued directives to Aaj Tak, Times Now Navbharat, and News18 India for violating broadcasting standards in separate cases. The regulatory body addressed concerns related to defamation and content targeting communities, resulting in fines and removal orders.
A year ago, Aaj Tak anchor Sudhir Chaudhary presented a fictional story on his primetime show, Black and White, insinuating connections between a highway dacoit and Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 defamation case. The NBDSA, responding to a complaint by Youth Congress president Srinivas BV, stated that the "story of the robber and the imputation it carried" with Gandhi’s conviction was “not in good taste” and “should have been avoided.” The channel has been instructed to remove the "fictional video" from its website and social media accounts. The NBDSA also advised Aaj Tak to exercise caution when airing such fictional content in the future.
The “fictional video” mentioned in Srinivas’s complaint is an animation aired in the Black and White episode on March 24 last year, a day after a Surat court convicted Rahul of defamation for a 2019 speech about thieves with the surname “Modi”.
In the episode, Chaudhary referred to a tweet by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and said both Priyanka and the Congress party were defending Rahul in the name of inaction on bigger criminals.
He said in Hindi, “Iss mamle mein Rahul Gandhi ka bachav karte hue, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra aur Congress party ye tark de rahe hein ki aur bhi logon ne toh itne apradh kiye hain iss desh mein. Lekin karawahi sirf Rahul Gandhi ke khilaf kyun ho rahi hain.”
Subsequently, he gave a disclaimer in Hindi: “Aaj hum apko ek chhoti si kahani sunana chahte hain. Isse kisi ke saath jod kar mat dekhiyega.” Loosely translating to, “Today, I will tell you a short story. Do not link it with any person.”
He narrated the fictional story of a dacoit who named Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Mehul Choksi as “bigger criminals” in an attempt to get away with his crime. While Chaudhary narrated the story, the animations showed a man looting people with a gun and then being caught by the police.
The anchor concluded, “Dusre logon ke apradh gina kar khud ke apradh kum nahi kar sakte. Lekin Congress party aisa hi kar rahi hain. By counting other’s crimes, one cannot reduce their own crime. But the Congress party is doing just that,” said Chaudhary.
In another instance, the NBDSA fined Times Now Navbharat Rs 1 lakh and News18 India Rs 50,000, while issuing a warning to Aaj Tak for content targeting the Muslim community. The channels were directed to take down the violative content.
While the NBDSA acknowledged the disclaimer, it noted that the video was "not in good taste" and "should have been avoided." The regulatory body emphasized that, despite no violation of defamation standards, the channel should remove the fictional video.
The NBDSA also addressed the issue of content targeting communities, particularly the use of the term "love jihad." The regulatory body imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Times Now Navbharat, Rs 50,000 on News18 India, and issued a warning to Aaj Tak. These actions came in response to a complaint by Indrajeet Ghorpade, who raised concerns about hate and misinformation on TV news.
The NBDSA stated that the term "love jihad" must be used with great introspection, emphasizing that religious stereotyping violates the Code of Ethics and can erode the secular fabric of the country. The broadcasting body condemned reportage causing harm to communities and promoting religious intolerance.
After a year-long legal struggle, a victory has been secured!
— Srinivas BV (@srinivasiyc) February 29, 2024
Finally, the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority found the propaganda video by @aajtak's Sarkari Anchor @sudhirchaudhary to be fictional & not in good taste and issued an order to delete the video from all… https://t.co/1jBIc6ph5L pic.twitter.com/IElctALlvt
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
