In a recent development, the National Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has issued a stern warning to Times Now Navbharat. The authority, led by former Supreme Court judge Justice AK Sikri, expressed serious concerns over a show hosted by anchor Navika Kumar, which had Garba-related content.
NBDSA’s primary concern was that the channel should refrain from giving a communal color to its reports. They emphasized the importance of maintaining ethnic and religious harmony when reporting on crimes, riots, rumors, and related incidents. Live Law has reported that the authority called for adherence to these guidelines.
As a result of these warnings, NBDSA has directed Times Now Navbharat to remove the video content related to the show from both its website and YouTube channel. The authority has requested confirmation of the material’s removal within 7 days.
The decision comes in response to complaints filed by tech ethics professional Inderjit Ghorpade and Mateen Mujar. Both complainants alleged that the show had targeted the entire Muslim community and had violated broadcasting standards. They claimed that the channel was spreading hatred with a communal agenda, which could potentially harm minority communities and the secular fabric of the country.
In defense, the channel argued that the show aimed to raise legitimate questions about women’s safety and that it had no intention to target any particular community. They deemed the allegations made in the complaints as ‘out of context and baseless.’
However, the NBDSA, under Justice Sikri’s leadership, asserted that the show exhibited communal overtones rather than focusing on women’s safety. The authority pointed to the questions raised by the anchor and the language used in the channel’s ticker, which, they believed, displayed a communal bias. The matter remains under scrutiny as the channel faces the consequences of the NBDSA’s warning.
