Sudarshan TV in SC seeks vacation of stay on telecast of episodes of 'Bindas Bol' programme

NEW DELHI: Sudarshan TV Sunday sought to urge the Supreme Court to lift the stay on the telecast of remaining episodes of the controversial 'Bindas Bol' programme, saying the channel would abide by all laws while airing them.

The apex court had on September 15 restrained the channel from telecasting the remaining episodes of the programme, whose promo had claimed that the channel would show a 'big expose on conspiracy to infiltrate Muslims in government service', till further orders.

Saying "the intent" of the episodes "prima facie" appeared to "vilify" the Muslim community, a bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud had passed the order while hearing a plea which has raised grievance over the programme.

In an additional affidavit filed in the top court, Editor-in-Chief of Sudarshan News Suresh Chavhanke has said the channel would "abide and comply" by the programming code and directions of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting strictly.

"I will strictly comply with all laws while airing the remaining episodes of ‘Bindas Bol' program series on the subject of UPSC Jihad,” Chavhanke said in the affidavit, filed through advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain.

“The answering respondent further states that he we will abide and comply by the programming code and directions of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting strictly," the affidavit said.

It further said, "In light of what has been submitted in my previous affidavit dated September, 2020 and hereinabove, this court may be pleased to vacate the injunction on the telecast of the remaining episodes of the programme series."

It said the channel has already broadcast four episodes of the programme series 'Bindas Bol' from September 11 to September 14 and there are six remaining episodes.

The affidavit also referred to the September 2008 and August 2010 broadcasts by an English news channel and said that in one of these progammes, a Hindu cultural gathering was shown in saffron colour clothes.

The apex court is scheduled to hear the matter on Monday.

On September 18, the top court had questioned Sudarshan TV over its 'Bindas Bol' programme and asked whether the media can be allowed to "target whole set of communities".

It had sought suggestions of the Centre and the National Broadcasting Association (NBA) for strengthening the "self-regulating mechanism for electronic media."

The bench had recalled the days of Emergency and said it did not want to act like the censor board, but the issue was whether the media can be allowed to target and brand the entire community and "alienate them" by doing such kind of stories.

The apex court had asked the Editor-in-Chief of the channel to file an affidavit by Monday, expressing his bonafide and voluntary decision on not using certain things in the programme.

Senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the channel, had defended the programme and sought vacation of the stay on its telecast, saying it was not against the entry of members of the community in government service.