06, Feb 2024 | CJP Team

On February 6, 2024, a complaint was sent by Citizens for Justice and Peace to Aaj Tak channel against a news segment that aired on Aaj Tak on January 31, 2024, titled “Soren परिवार का विश्लेषण (examining the Soren family)|Hemant Soren|Champai|Sudhir Chaudhary”. The said show was surrounding former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren and his family. The said former Tribal CM had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on February 1, on alleged charges of money laundering. It was on the previous night, when Soren was being question by the ED for hours that the said programme was broadcast by Aaj Tak.

Through the complaint, the complainant has highlighted the casteist statements made by host Sudhir Chaudhary in regards to the Tribal political leader and his family. The complaint has stated “Chaudhary targeted the tribal minister for his purported wealth, cars and lifestyle, and was seemingly less concerned with the charges of money laundering levied against him. Justifying the title of the show, which purported the examination of the Soren family, the host has put forth a distorted image of a Tribal family enjoying wealth by misusing the votes given to the tribal politician based on his identity.”

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Emphasising that the host has unnecessarily dragged the most marginalised ethnic and minority communities into an issue that did not warrant any scrutiny of the caste of a respected and beloved politician, the complaint also highlighted that the host did not once attempt to impartially examine what the “charges” are against him given that in his defence, the former chief minister has stated – as have his Supreme Court counsel—that his name does not figure (not does his family member’s) in the alleged “land scam” which too sates back to 2008-2009.

In the complaint, it has been stated that “The host let loose his biases in a diatribe, using stigmatising language and imagery as also innate prejudices (among the caste privileged) against the Tribal community cloud the role he is supposed to play in a news show that have a big viewership and following.”

The channel now has 7 days to respond to the complaint raised by CJP, or else the complainant will be escalating the same with the News Broadcasting Digital and Standards Authority (NBDSA). 

The complete complaint can be read here:

Related:

Sudhir Chaudhary’s castiest diatribe against Hemant Soren following his resignation causes uproar, complaint filed by Tribal body

CJP complaint to Aaj Tak for airing show using the term “Mazaar Jihad”

CJP has filed a complaint in the NBDSA urging action against the divisive narrative in Sudhir Chaudhary’s show on Aaj Tak

CJP’s NBDSA Complaints 2023: A look at the repeated violation of ethics and guidelines by Indian television channels