Hate speech against Muslims by Sudarshan TV attracts strong criticism

A pro-Hindutva Hindi channel targeting the Muslims for making into civil service and calling it "UPSC Jihad" has invited widespread criticism with serving and former bureaucrats and activists calling it "communal and irresponsible" while demanding action against him.

Sudarshan TV Chief Editor Suresh Chavhanke tweeted the promo of a programme tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS in which he is accusing the minority community members of "infiltrating" into the civil services and citing a conspiracy on the "increasing" number of Muslims entering the bureaucracy.

In the video, Chavhanke asked whether people would agree with a "Jamia Jihadi" becoming their district magistrate or Secretaries in Ministries.

After Chavhanke's tweet, there was huge condemnation of the message with Twiterrati demanding suspending his account for hate speech. Soon, #SuspendSureshChavhanke started trending with the IPS Association questioning the channel, "A news story targeting candidates in civil services on the basis of religion is being promoted by Sudarshan TV. We condemn the communal and irresponsible piece of journalism."

Chavhanke has earlier said that he has been a member of the RSS since his childhood and worked as a reporter with pro-RSS newspaper Tarun Bharat. He launched Sudarshan News in 2005 where he is presently the chairman, managing director and editor-in-chief.

Not new to remarks characterised as hate speech, Chavhanke was arrested in 2017 on charges of promoting religious enmity when he described Sambhal as a “centre of terrorism” in his show 'Bindas Bol'. In 2016, he was accused by a woman employee of his channel of raping her since 2013 after promising to marry her.

As his post triggered huge reactions, Chavhanke sought to defend himself and claimed, "not only the terror group, but the leader of all the terror groups Zakir Naik is involved in this conspiracy." He accused the IPS Association of "twisting without knowing the issue. Issue is sudden spike in no of people of certain category selected in UPSC Civils in the last few years."

Senior IPS officer R K Vij said it was "disgusting. Condemnable. This must be stopped". IAS officer Rahul Kumar tweeted, "this is not free speech. This is sheer poison and against the fabric of our constitutional institutions", as he urged Twitter to take action against Chavhanke.

IPS officer Niharika Bhatt tweeted, "a despicable attempt at hate mongering. To question the credentials of officers on the basis of religion is not only laughable, but should also be dealt with strictest legal provisions. We are all Indians first."

Tehseen Poonawalla, a regular at TV debates, filed a complaint with Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava against Chavhanke accusing him of instigating communal hate and spreading violence by tweeting a video promo of a programme to telecast on Friday.

He said Chavhanke is seen making baseless remarks on the UPSC selection process and making communal statements against one particular community.

India Police Foundation said the hate story carried on a Noida TV channel against minority candidates joining IAS/IPS is "dangerous bigotry" and they "refrain from retweeting it because it is pure venom. We hope News Broadcasting Standards Authority, UP Police and concerned government authorities take strict action."

RTI activist Saket Gokhale said he has written to the UPSC Chairman asking him to take an urgent stand against the "communal dog-whistle instigated" by Chavhanke against Muslim UPSC candidates and officers. "As a Constitutional body, it is the duty of UPSC to speak up against this hate and reassure Muslim candidates," he added.

Former IPS officer N C Asthana said it was an offence and by casting doubts on the integrity and impartiality of a constitutional body like the UPSC in the selection of officers for All-India Services, he is spreading "disaffection for the constitutional scheme of governance". He said UPSC must respond and initiate legal action.