Jamiat urges SC for speedy hearing on plea against 'hate speech' on media

New Delhi: Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind President Maulana Arshad Madani has filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking urgent hearing of the petition against some media houses for allegedly conspiring to target Muslims and spreading communal hatred.

The petition further states that this is an important issue that is directly related to the people and as it is connected with the people, its urgent hearing will bring justice. The petition further states that Assembly elections going to be held in five states, so "fake news" by some channels may disrupt the peace.

"Therefore, the court should issue a special order to control the news channels which are broadcasting fake news and hatred. Therefore, the current petition should be heard as soon as possible," it said.

The petition was filed on April 13, 2020, and there have been 11 hearings in this case, with the most recent on September 2, 2021, when the Union government also had filed its reply before the court. Similarly, the broadcasting organisation and the news regulators have also filed their replies. The petitions pending in various high courts of the country have also been consolidated on the order of the court.

The Jamiat said: "Since the submission of the petition, the channels broadcasting fake news had been under control to some extent and during the hearing, some news channels had apologised for the news which broadcasted regarding Tablighi Jamaat."