The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has issued a significant order in response to a detailed complaint filed by Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP), finding that a Times Now Navbharat broadcast on the “Miya Bihu” controversy departed sharply from fundamental journalistic standards. While the Authority acknowledged that reporting on the arrest of Assamese Muslim singer Altaf Hussain was within the channel’s prerogative, it held that the anchor went far beyond factual reportage. Instead, he constructed a sweeping, fear-inducing narrative that linked the singer’s protest song to an imagined nationwide assault on Hindu festivals, invoking Kerala, Kashmir, and unrelated political and social events to stitch together a false storyline of cultural siege.
NBDSA’s review of the broadcast revealed that the anchor relied on stereotypes about Bengali-speaking Muslims—particularly the Miya community—misrepresented demographic and political data, and even connected the protest song to an entirely unrelated rape case with no causal link. The Authority noted that this narrative expansion could not be justified as news reporting; rather, it demonstrated that the anchor “had a particular agenda in mind.” By weaving isolated incidents into a communal narrative and introducing ideas like a “Jihadi syndicate” or a conspiracy to undermine Hindu traditions, the programme violated the NBDSA’s Code of Ethics and Specific Guidelines for Anchors, which bar generalisation, sensationalism, and the vilification of any community.
In its direction, the Authority has ordered Times Now Navbharat to remove all “offending portions” from the programme and submit a modified version within seven days. It also instructed that the order be circulated to all member broadcasters and uploaded on the NBDA website and in the next Annual Report. For CJP, the decision marks a significant regulatory affirmation of its consistent efforts to challenge communalised media narratives. For the wider media landscape, the order serves as a critical reminder that the authority to question and critique cannot be exercised through distortion, stereotype, or the manufacturing of communal fear.
CJP is dedicated to finding and bringing to light instances of Hate Speech, so that the bigots propagating these venomous ideas can be unmasked and brought to justice. To learn more about our campaign against hate speech, please become a member. To support our initiatives, please donate now!
The Complaint: CJP flags communal narrative, distortion, and fear-mongering
CJP’s complaint dated September 9, 2024 focused on a Times Now Navbharat programme titled: “Desh Ka Mood Meter: सनातन संस्कृति…कट्टरपंथियों के लिए सॉफ्ट टारगेट? | CM Himanta Biswa Sarma News” that aired on 2 September 2024. The show revolved around the arrest of Altaf Hussain, a Bengali-speaking Muslim singer from Assam, who had released a protest song highlighting discrimination against the Miya community. Following his arrest, the Chief Minister og Assam made a Facebook Live appearance calling the song “an attack” and alleging an attempt to “change Bihu into Miya Bihu”.
The Times Now Navbharat broadcast then used these remarks to spin a sweeping communal narrative.
CJP pointed out that the anchor:
- Presented the incident as part of a nationwide conspiracy against Hindu culture—linking Assam, Kerala, and Kashmir in a manufactured war-like narrative.
- Used dangerous phrases such as “Jihadi syndicate”, communal conspiracy, and “invasion”.
- Equated the term ‘Miya’ with illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, misrepresenting an entire community.
- Suggested that Muslims controlled 30 Vidhan Sabha seats and posed a demographic threat.
- Linked an isolated rape case to an entire community to insinuate collective criminality.
- Wove these disparate incidents into an overarching narrative that Hindus were under “attack”.
CJP also highlighted how the broadcast manipulated imagery, language, and tone to sharply polarise viewers and turn a cultural controversy into a nationwide Hindu-Muslim conflict.
The complete report may be read here.
Broadcaster’s Defence: ‘We only reported facts’
Times Now Navbharat denied all allegations:
- It claimed the show was only reporting the arrest and the Chief Minister’s views.
- It argued that it had differentiated between “Miya” Muslims and indigenous Assamese Muslims.
- It insisted that the depiction of demographics and electoral influence was factual.
- It refuted claims of fear-mongering, stating that the anchor was merely posing uncomfortable questions in the national interest.
- It accused the complainant of “selectively quoting snippets”.
Hearing Before NBDSA: CJP demonstrates how the anchor crafted a false national conspiracy
At the hearing held on February 22, 2025, CJP meticulously demonstrated that:
- The anchor’s opening monologue itself framed the entire show as an attack on Hindu festivals “from Assam to Kerala”.
- This was not reportage but a deliberate, pre-set narrative.
- The anchor bundled unrelated issues—the singer’s arrest, a rape case, Onam interpretations, and alleged temple name changes—to craft a false story of Hindus under siege.
- The rhetoric used was not factual journalism but fear-inducing, divisive, and ethically unsound.
NBDSA’s Findings: “Anchor had an agenda in mind”
- Reporting the arrest itself was legitimate—but the anchor went far beyond facts
The Authority noted that reporting the arrest and discussing the Chief Minister’s criticism of the song was well within the channel’s rights. But the problem was everything that followed.
- “The narrative built by the anchor went much beyond that”
NBDSA found that:
- The anchor introduced communal stereotypes, generalisations, and insinuations against a specific community.
- He linked the singer’s song to an unrelated rape case, despite “no causal connection”.
- He used the incident as an opportunity to push an agenda-driven narrative.
- “The anchor had a particular agenda in mind”
This is one of the strongest observations NBDSA has made in recent orders. The Authority stated that the anchor appeared to seize the incident as a chance to craft a pre-decided, communal storyline.
“In the process, the anchor brings a stereotype in respect of a particular community which could clearly have been avoided. The anchor also connects the song with an incident of rape, though there was no causal connection and the two things arc altogether separate and distinct. It seems the anchor had a particular agenda in mind and got this opportunity to build his narrative, bearing in mind the said agenda. It is this generalisation which falls foul of the BDSA’s Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards as well as the Specific Guidelines for Anchors conducting Programmes including Debates.”
- This violates the Code of Ethics and the Specific Guidelines for Anchors
NBDSA held that the broadcast breached:
- requirements of impartiality,
- fairness,
- neutrality,
- and the mandates for non-sensational, non-communal reporting.
The Direction: Remove offending content, re-publish edited version
NBDSA issued a clear directive:
- Times Now Navbharat must modulate the programme by removing all offending portions.
- The broadcaster must submit the edited link to NBDSA within 7 days.
- The order will be circulated internally to all NBDA member channels, editors, and legal heads.
- It will be hosted publicly on NBDA’s website and included in the Authority’s Annual Report.
Why this order matters
For CJP: It validates months of rigorous, evidence-driven media accountability work and strengthens future interventions against hate speech and communal propaganda.
For media regulation: The order sets a clear precedent that anchors cannot camouflage communal narratives under the guise of “uncomfortable questions”.
For newsroom ethics: The order draws a sharp line between reporting and communal agenda-setting, holding anchors accountable—not just for factual accuracy but for narrative construction.
For public discourse: It recognises how dangerous and corrosive it is when mainstream news links isolated crimes to entire communities or constructs conspiracies around minorities.
The complete order may be read here.
Image Courtesy: Youtube.com
Related:
When Erosion Stole Her Home, a Foreigners’ Notice Tried to Steal Her Citizenship: Hamela Khatun triumphs over foreigner tag
CJP files complaint over Malabar Hill incident involving Aadhaar checks and targeting of Muslim vendors
Two Hate-Filled Speeches, One Election: CJP complaints against Himanta Biswa Sarma and Tausif Alam for spreading hate and fear in Bihar elections