Some TV Channels Gives Legitimacy to Divisive & Toxic Voices Which Widens Unbridgeable Gap Between Communities. Says Editor’s Guild
(Judicial Quest News Network)
In the aftermath of the indecent andderogatory remarks against Prophet Mohammed, by BJP leader Nupur Sharma and the subsequent Communal violence that had erupted in Kanpur on last Friday, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) on June, 8 asked them to pause, and take a critical look at what they have done.
It also called stricter vigilance and broadcasters and journalist bodies
The EGI is disturbed by the irresponsible conduct of some national news channels for deliberately creating circumstances that target vulnerable communities by spewing hatred towards them and their beliefs. The Editor’s body said in a Statement.
Expectedly, there was a riot in Kanpur accompanied by an unprecedented trenchant reaction from many countries that were offended by the remarks of the ruling party spokespersons. In their angry statements they wondered about India’s commitment to human rights and freedom of religion, said the statement.
The incident that caused unnecessary embarrassment to the country could have been avoided if some of the TV outlets had been mindful of the nation’s constitutional commitment to secularism, as well as the journalistic ethics and guidelines that the Press Council of India has issued to handle a volatile communal situation.
In spite of doing a stricter vigilance instead, some of these channels prompted by the desire to increase viewership and profit were seemingly inspired by the values of Radio Rwanda whose incendiary broadcast caused genocide in the African nation.
EGI demands that these channels pause and take a critical look at what they have done by giving legitimacy to divisive and toxic voices that has made the national discourse coarse and the gap between communities unbridgeable.
The Editors Guild of India also demands stricter vigilance by broadcaster and journalist bodies to prevent a recurrence of this from taking place. The media is in place to strengthen the Constitution and the law and not break it through sheer irresponsibility and absence of accountability.
