Holding power to account: CJP’s efforts to combat hate and polarisation CJP’s legal action and vigilance in 2024 target hate speech, divisive media, and electoral manipulation, striving to protect India’s social fabric
27, Dec 2024 | CJP Team
In 2024, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) has taken significant steps to confront the growing threat of hate speech, divisive rhetoric, and misinformation across India. Through a combination of legal complaints, preventive actions, and proactive interventions with various authorities, including the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA), the Election Commission of India (ECI), law enforcement, and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), CJP has been at the forefront of holding perpetrators accountable and promoting accountability in both media and political spaces.
This ongoing work is crucial in addressing the rise of communal violence and polarisation, safeguarding India’s democratic values, and ensuring that the principles of secularism and social harmony are upheld amidst an increasingly contentious political climate.
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The importance of accountability: CJP’s work with the NBDSA in 2024
In 2024, Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) filed six complaints with the News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) to challenge the spread of hate, misinformation, and divisive content in television news. The complaints targeted major media outlets:
- Aaj Tak: 1 complaint
- Zee News: 1 complaint
- Times Now Navbharat: 2 complaints
- India TV: 2 complaints
Key outcomes in the year:
Orders received: 5
- 4 against Times Now Navbharat: All resulted in the removal of contentious shows broadcasted on TNN, which were:
- Operation Mazaar – Promoting hate and baseless claims against Muslim communities.
- Hindu Rashtra Broadcast – Legitimising religious bias and communal rhetoric.
- Madrassas in UP – Stereotyping minority institutions with unfounded accusations.
- Minority Students and UCC – Misrepresenting and dividing citizens with false narratives.
- 1 against Aaj Tak: The NBDSA refrained from passing an order as an FIR had been filed in the matter of Aaj Tak’s anchor Sudhir Chaudhary making casteist comments against Jharkhand CM
- Orders pending: 6
- After hearing: 2
- Hearing yet to take place: 4
The broader media crisis in India: These figures are part of a growing concern regarding the role of the media in spreading hate and propaganda across India. Multiple studies and reports have underscored how sections of the media are complicit in amplifying divisive rhetoric:
- The 2023 Newslaundry-Lokniti CSDS Media Survey Report had revealed that 82% of the surveyed scribes believed that the media favoured the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A majority of those surveyed (80%) also reported that they found the news coverage to be “too favourable” to the BJP, while 61% felt that it was “too unfavourable” towards the opposition parties.
- The Hate Speech and Media Report (2019) by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) linked media narratives to communal hate incidents in the country.
- Reports from the Press Council of India have repeatedly criticised the growing trend of polarising and unethical journalism.
Such patterns are deeply concerning, as inflammatory broadcasts have been shown to exacerbate real-world violence and deepen communal divides.
Why this work matters: CJP’s interventions with the NBDSA reflect a critical effort to restore accountability and ethical standards in Indian media. By filing complaints and challenging problematic content, CJP plays a vital role in:
- Holding powerful broadcasters accountable for their role in spreading divisive narratives.
- Curbing the spread of hate speech, which can trigger violence and undermine social cohesion.
- Promoting responsible journalism that informs rather than divides.
The NBDSA, as a self-regulatory body, remains an important check on the misuse of media power. However, civil society efforts—like those led by CJP—are essential to ensure this mechanism remains effective and responsive. In a time when propaganda poses an unprecedented threat to democracy, CJP’s work serves as a necessary intervention to protect truth, justice, and plurality in India’s media landscape.
Challenging divisive rhetoric: CJP’s complaints to the ECI and SEC in 2024
In 2024, CJP filed 16 complaints with the Election Commission of India (ECI) and State Election Commissions (SEC) to address the rising misuse of religion during election campaigns. This practice, which violates the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, remains a persistent challenge to free and fair elections.
Breakdown of complaints:
- Election Commission of India (ECI): 1 complaint
- State Election Commission, Maharashtra: 10 complaints
- State Election Commission, Jharkhand: 5 complaints
These complaints primarily targeted speeches and campaigns where political parties or candidates invoked religious identities to influence voters, a violation of Section 123(3) of the RPA, which classifies such appeals as a “corrupt electoral practice”.
Impact so far:
- FIRs filed: Two complaints in Maharashtra State Election Commission had also resulted in First Information Reports (FIRs), one against Suresh Chavhanke and the other against Kajal Hindustani, marking a significant step towards legal accountability.
These FIRs underscore the seriousness of the violations reported and demonstrate the role of civil society in pushing for stricter enforcement of electoral laws.
The role of election bodies and the broader crisis: Despite clear legal and procedural frameworks, political parties continue to deploy religious and communal rhetoric to polarise voters. This is not an isolated issue:
- The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) noted in 2023 that appeals to religion, particularly during high-stakes elections, have increased significantly.
- Reports from multiple elections show that inflammatory speeches—rife with religious overtones—often go unchecked, despite the Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct (MCC) explicitly prohibiting such practices.
- Recent electoral campaigns have repeatedly demonstrated how divisive rhetoric overshadows critical issues like governance, education, employment, and development.
The Election Commission of India and its state-level counterparts are constitutional bodies tasked with upholding electoral integrity. However, inconsistent enforcement and delays in action have allowed political actors to exploit religious identities for electoral gain.
Why this work matters CJP’s complaints and the resulting FIRs reflect a crucial intervention to safeguard India’s electoral integrity. By actively challenging violations, CJP aims to:
- Enforce compliance with the RPA and MCC to ensure elections remain free from communal manipulation.
- Discourage the misuse of religion for votes, which fragments communities and deepens social divisions.
- Reaffirm the secular nature of India’s democracy, as enshrined in the Constitution.
The filing of FIRs based on CJP’s complaints is a concrete reminder that such violations carry legal consequences. It also highlights the urgent need for stronger enforcement mechanisms to curb the misuse of religion in electioneering.
Unchecked divisive rhetoric during elections not only undermines democratic ideals but also fuels hatred and violence. CJP’s interventions aim to restore the focus of election campaigns on real issues that matter to the electorate. In a time when polarisation threatens India’s social fabric, ensuring accountability in the electoral process is more critical than ever. By challenging violations, CJP underscores the urgent need for stronger enforcement mechanisms to protect democracy from communal exploitation.
Confronting hate: CJP’s complaints to law enforcement authorities
In 2024, CJP filed 20 post-event police complaints as well as 10 preventive complaints against hate speeches and hate events to prevent such content from being delivered at public events. These interventions are a critical part of CJP’s ongoing efforts to curb the growing threat of hate speech and its role in inciting violence across the country.
Key statistics over the year:
- Police complaints filed against hate speech: 20
- Maharashtra: 12 complaints
- Other states: 8 complaints
- Preventive police complaints (filed before events where hate speech was likely to be delivered): 10
- Delegation with complaint before event: 1
- Outcome: The event was denied permission, preventing potential hate speech and communal tension.
These efforts are a response to the increasingly divisive and inflammatory rhetoric being used in public spaces, especially at political rallies and religious events. The rising frequency of such incidents is well-documented. For instance, according to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) 2022 data, there’s been an increase of 45% in cases pertaining to hate speech and other acts to promote enmity between groups on the ground of religion, race, language and place of birth registered under IPC section 153A in India in the past two years.
NCM complaint by CJP: Addressing hate speech
In addition to law enforcement efforts, CJP filed one complaint with the National Commission for Minorities (NCM). This complaint addressed specific instances of hate speech targeting minority communities delivered by Suresh Chavhanke, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Sudarshan News. Such complaint forms a crucial step towards holding public figures and entities accountable for spreading divisive rhetoric. The NCM’s involvement plays a key role in ensuring that hate speech targeting minorities is addressed at a national level and in ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.
The growing threat of hate speech: Despite existing legal frameworks—such as criminal provisions which penalises promoting enmity between groups and penalises deliberate acts to outrage religious feelings—hate speech remains rampant, especially during election periods and public events. In 2023, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reported that communal and hate-driven content during election campaigns increased by 25% in major states.
Why this work matters: CJP’s proactive and responsive approach is essential in addressing the persistent issue of hate speech, which continues to erode communal harmony and promote violence. These efforts are directly aligned with the constitutional mandates of secularism and unity, as they aim to prevent the misuse of religion for divisive political gains.
By filing complaints and pursuing preventive actions, CJP is:
- Holding perpetrators accountable under the law, ensuring that hate speech does not go unchecked.
- Intervening early to prevent potential communal clashes by blocking platforms that could amplify divisive narratives.
- Encouraging more consistent enforcement from law enforcement agencies, setting a strong example for other states and authorities.
CJP has, throughout the year, meticulously documented these instances of hate speech, highlighting the potential for social division and violence. The filing of FIRs and the denial of permission for events indicate a growing recognition of the need for law enforcement to act decisively. These actions show that it is possible to curtail hate speech and prevent violence before it spreads. CJP’s ongoing efforts continue to prove that effective legal interventions, combined with timely police action, are crucial to preventing the escalation of communal tensions in a diverse democracy like India.
Conclusion: Upholding accountability and secularism in the face of rising divisiveness
CJP’s work in 2024 underscores the importance of proactive civil society interventions in combating hate speech and divisive rhetoric across various platforms. By filing complaints, seeking accountability from media outlets, election authorities, and law enforcement, and ensuring that legal provisions are enforced, CJP plays a vital role in preserving India’s democratic ideals and secular fabric. As hate speech continues to fuel violence and deepen communal divides, CJP’s efforts highlight the urgent need for sustained action to curb such rhetoric, protect vulnerable communities, and foster a society rooted in equality and harmony. These interventions serve as a crucial reminder that a united and just India depends on all sectors working together to uphold the rule of law and the values of tolerance and coexistence.
Related:
The judiciary’s commitment to protecting rights: notable Supreme Court judgments of 2024
CJP files 5 hate speech complaints before CEO Maharashtra as violated MCC
CJP’s Landmark Victory Against Hate in Media | Times Now Navbharat Pulled Up by NBDSA
