Press Council of India finds Vijay Karnataka guilty of targeting Muslims over COVID-19 spread
New Delhi: The Press Council of India (PCI) censured the ‘Vijay Karnataka’ newspaper owned by Times Group for its coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic and targeting a particular community for its role in the spread of the virus.
The Council took note of an editorial titled 'All those who died from Corona are from the same community - why do they still come together in the name of prayers?’ dated 28, March 2020 and published in the newspaper. The complainant argued that this article violated the Norms of Journalistic Conduct, 2019. The complainant had also demanded an apology and a clarification from the newspaper that Muslims were not responsible for the spread of coronavirus.
The complainant is part of a Bengaluru-based collective called 'Campaign against Hate Speech'. Vijay Karnataka is a Kannada language newspaper circulated primarily in Karnataka state.
Hate Speech Beda has previously filed complaints against Times Now, News18 Kannada, Suvarna News, and Star of Mysore. In all four instances, they successfully argued their case and ensured action against the media houses. Vijay Karnataka failed to attend the summons of the Press Council of India (PCI) on two different occasions, following which the PCI issued a bailable warrant against the editor.
In their defence, the newspaper argued that they did not mention the name of any particular community and that the newspaper was merely attempting to bring awareness to the community.
A PCI inquiry committee rejected this argument and noted, "There is a reference to persons who visited Mecca and thereafter allegedly died of Corona. There is a reference to people offering namaz behind closed doors. It is stated that Hindus and Christians have respected the curfew, but members of the mentioned community have been offering namaz (sic) behind closed doors. Reference to Mecca and namaz indicates that the author had Muslims in mind and he was targeting them."
The committee concluded, "Vijay Karnataka has tried to spread misinformation during the time of the Pandemic and has targeted the Muslim community, and its conduct is violative of the Norms of Journalistic Conduct of the Press Council of India."
On December 16, 2022, the PCI censured the Star of Mysore newspaper for its editorial on Muslims.
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.
Haryana man Devendra arrested for spying, allegedly shared sensitive information with Pakistan
Chandigarh: A resident of a village in Haryana’s Kaithal was arrested for allegedly passing on sensitive information to the Pakistan army and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) during the recent Indo-Pakistan conflict.
The accused is identified as Devendra, a resident of Mastgarh Cheeka village in Kaithal.
During questioning, it was revealed that he went to Pakistan in November last year through the Kartarpur corridor and was sharing sensitive information with officers of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agency, as reported by NDTV on Saturday.
"Intelligence information was received by the district police of Kaithal. On that basis our special detective staff arrested Devendra, son of Narwal Singh, resident of village Mastgarh Cheeka," news agency quoted DSP Kaithal Veerbhan as saying.
He added that the individual regularly shared details about the ongoing India-Pakistan dispute, as well as information related to Operation Sindoor, with the Pakistani Army and intelligence agency ISI.
The police are now conducting a detailed investigation of the electronic devices seized from him at the cyber police station.
_vb_36.jpeg)
