Supreme Court said news channels have become platforms for provocative rhetoric

Expressing displeasure over the quality of debate in news channels, the Supreme Court has made a serious remark. The court said that news channels have become a platform for provocative statements. Press freedom is important, but without regulation, TV channels have become a source of hate speech. The Supreme Court said that politicians have taken the most advantage of it, television channels give them a platform.

Questioning the quality of the debate on news channels during the hearing of the inflammatory speech made during the ‘Dharma Sansad’ program held in Haridwar last year, Justice KM Joseph of the hearing bench said that ten people on TV is called to the debate. Those who want to speak are muted. They don’t even get a chance to have their say.

Questioning the responsibility of the news anchors, the court said that it is the responsibility of the anchor that there is no provocative talk in the debate, but the anchors do not do so. The Supreme Court said that this is not being dealt with strictly. The responsibility of the anchor should be fixed. If which anchor’s program contains inflammatory content, then it should be taken off air and fined. The Supreme Court also said that freedom of the press is important, but we must know where to draw the line. Hate speech has a serious impact on our mind.

There has been a demand for a fair investigation from the SIT regarding the inflammatory speech case given during the ‘Dharma Sansad’ program in Haridwar last year. In the year 2021, on 17th and 19th December in Haridwar, another program was organized by Yeti Narasimhanand and another program was organized by Hindu Yuva Vahini in Delhi.