Noted Muslim body, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has welcomed the Supreme Court’s order on media trial and held a section of the media responsible for spreading “hatred between Hindus and Muslims”.
“The recent order of the Supreme Court, in which the Union Government has been directed to prepare regulations (on media trial) within three months, is an important development. It is to be hoped that the government will now not only understand the sensitivity and importance of this order but will also frame regulation for the media,” the Jamiat said in a statement.
Speaking to the media, the Jamiat president Arshad Madani reminded, “The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had filed a petition in the Supreme Court in April 2020 against the biased TV channels and sectarian print media conspiring to tarnish the image of the Tablighi Jamaat by linking the spread of coronavirus to the meeting at Tabligh Jamaat’s headquarters in Nizamuddin.” Incidentally, 15 hearings have been held on the petition so far and the final order is awaited.
“The Central government is acting evasive but our struggle to rein in the biased media will continue,” Mr. Madani stated.
In response to a question, Mr. Madani reiterated that the Constitution has given every citizen of the country complete freedom of expression. “We are for freedom of expression but are against the deliberate harassment of the minorities in general and Muslims in particular under the gar of freedom of expression. We oppose the incitement (to violence) by a section of the media. In recent years, the continuous negative reporting against Muslims by the media, especially the electronic media, has threatened the freedom and lives of Muslims. It is clearly against the basic rights of Right to Life given in the Constitution,” he said.
“The poison of sectarianism that a large section of the media is infusing in the society through its reporting is more dangerous than the coronavirus. It is sad that these biased news channels, instead of discussing the basic issues of the people, continue to spread hatred in a planned manner. The so-called debates and discussions create communal atmosphere in the society, increase religious extremism, and allow those who engage in the politics of hate to grow,” he added.
He argued that due to constant hatred and disinformation spread by the media, a large section of society has started acting as a judge on any issue involving minorities and weaker sections. “It has become a common thing to present the accused as a criminal,” he said.
He drew attention to the media often declaring an accused as a criminal or even a terrorist without using qualifications like ‘alleged’ or ‘said to be’. “Later when the top court declares them innocent and acquits them honourably, the media goes silent. They run breaking news on arrest, and don’t even show one-line news on acquittal. For instance, the case of Mufti Abdul Qayyum and his associates in the Akshardham attack case. They were sentenced to death and life imprisonment by the lower court. But when the Supreme Court not only honourably acquitted all the accused, including Mufti Abdul Qayyum, but also issued an order to take action against the guilty officers, media hardly reported on their acquittal. On the other hand, when Abdul Qayyum and others were arrested, the media had already presented them as criminals.”
He criticised a large section of the media for “unrestrained and irresponsible reporting which benefits sectarian elements”. “It will not be easy to compensate for the damage that has been done to the peace and unity of the country. The media trial should be strictly banned,” Mr. Madani concluded.
