Cahs rep-to-minority-commission-2

1. Find us @HateSpeechBeda: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube
Email id: ethicalmediacampaign@gmail.com; Blog: https://hatespeechbeda.wordpress.com/
CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
ೆ ೕಷದ ಾತುಗಳ ರುದ ಜ ಾಂ ೋಲನ
16th
August 2020
To
Karnataka State Minorities Commission
Floor, Vishweshwaraiah Main Tower, R, Ambedkar Veedhi, Bengaluru,
Karnataka - 560001
Subject: Representation regarding the Kannada media coverage of the 11th
- 12th
August Bengaluru violence and hate speech on social media
Dear Sir/Madam,
This representation is made by Campaign Against Hate Speech1
to bring the attention of this
Hon’ble authority to the manner in which Kannada media covered the violence that broke out
on 11th
-12th
of August 2020 as well as the deplorable behavior of individuals/groups spewing
hate speech on social media platforms targeting the Muslim community.
I. Kannada Media:
The Campaign unequivocally condemns the violence and behavior of the mob to take the law
in their own hands. Having said that, the irresponsibility with which the media has covered
this incident is unforgivable. They sensationalized the incident with playing on loop visuals of
physical violence, burning vehicles, police retaliation whilst playing intense background music.
To complete this effect, these programs carried headlines such as “Bangalore inflamed”, “They
should be arrested and taught a lesson in their own language” (They refers to the Muslim
community). Original photos of the Suvarna Channel airing these headlines are annexed as
Annexure A. The following channels aired questionable, provocative content:
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Campaign Against Hate Speech is a group of concerned activists, parents, lawyers and academics
working to combat hate speech by sections of media and public personalities and on social media. It
also works to ensure compliance by media companies to law and ethics regarding hate speech.

2. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
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1. TV 9 displayed the dead body of a man shot by the police repeatedly, raising
the question of whether broadcasting graphic images of the dead in a sensitive
and evolving situation could become a tacit incitement to further violence.
Original photos of the TV9 Channel airing these images are annexed as
Annexure B.
This sensationalist coverage continued long after the violence ended, even as
community leaders had appealed for peace and the police had initiated legal
action. This is in clear violation of Rule 6 (a), (m), (o) , Program and Advertising
Code.
2. Suvarna News:
a. The channel repeatedly stated that the mob was filled with people who had
consumed narcotics; the night was termed ‘Rakta Ratri-Night of Blood’; and
broadcast harmful stereotypes that malign the two localities as those with
a ‘night life’, where drug peddling was a common occurrence. A link to the
originally recorded program aired on 11th August 2020 can be found at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VPeZE3PhvqvsGr5mQ6GPZI3fneBQdqzd/v
iew?usp=sharing and https://drive.google.com/file/d/16B-
t_6lo1XZvAoQuFSQvi9DTYYSnN7kQ/view?usp=sharing . As mentioned
above, Suvarna painted a picture of the whole city under siege with titles
such as ‘Bengaluru Dhaga Dhaga’ repeatedly telecast on their show.
Suvarna Channel has violated Rule 6 (a), (c), (d), (e), (i) of the Programme
and Advertising Code.
b. On 12 th August, in a panel on Suvarna News, Malavika Avinash, captioned
as ‘BJP spokesperson’, loudly berated Abdul Razzaq, captioned as ‘Muslim
leader’. She demanded that he declare that his loyalty to the ‘nation’ was
greater than loyalty to his ‘Dharma’. The anchor also joined her in cornering
Mr. Razzaq, demanding that he prove his patriotism by merely making that
declaration. Demanding such loyalties maligns the group in segments of
social, public and moral life of the country as well as words reflect a
slandering, ironical, snobbish attitude in the portrayal of the religious group.
Suvarna Channel gave a platform for such maligning to take places and
slanderous statements to be made and must be held accountable for

3. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
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violating Rule 6 (i), (m) of the Programme and Advertising Code. A link to
the originally recorded program aired on 12th August 2020 can be found at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/13G1Lh4mbWS88GdXMdMkeVw2pTg7cSw
Mi/view .
c. Some of these programmes were aired live on the platform of YouTube.
This platform has the option of a “Live Chat” where the viewers interact with
the content aired. Aligning to the channels unethical, unlawful coverage,
these “Live Chat” gave the stage to viewers to make hateful statements
such as, “They are all prostitutes' children”, “Guys, I will go defecate on
Mecca and come”, “You are betraying the very nation which fed you. You
should be thrown to Pakistan.”. This included name calling of “Turukru” (a
derogatory term in Kannada for Muslims). There were repeated references
to genitalia of Muslim mothers and Allah. These statements are made
publicly accessible to all viewers. At a time, when tensions between the
communities were high, such statements are offences under Section 153 A,
Sec 153 B, Sec 295A, Sec 298 and Sec 505(2). A link to the live chat
recording can be found at
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1F2GVgGBCXaC5fMvaUrHmo-
I2s00gHz76/view?usp=sharing and
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12Z0kj2QuyjatuX1-A-
IKuTSHfCs0B9BV/view?usp=sharing .
3. Hosa Digantha, a Kannada newspaper, alleges that the violence in DJ Halli and
KG Halli police station limits were akin to violence in Mangalore and
Padarayanapura, and were orchestrated by one community. In what is pure
conjecture, the article claims that there is one power behind these three events
and that their plan is to increase their population in multiple areas and establish
religious dominance. Such unfounded conjecture in any ongoing investigation
is in violation of Section 295 A, Section 298 and 505(2) of the Indian Penal
Code, 1860. A copy of the article can be found at
https://epaper.hosadigantha.com/epaper/edition/2817/bangalore/page/1,
https://epaper.hosadigantha.com/epaper/edition/2817/bangalore/page/2.

4. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
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II. Social Media:
It is no mystery that this violence broke out after a derogatory social media post about the
Prophet Mohammed was shared by one Naveen, a relative of the local legislator. . The police
allegedly refused to take immediate action against Naveen when a group went to file an FIR.
The unthought of role of played by social media in this incident has been recognized by the
Police as well as the ministers in making statements of condemnation of violence. For a
period of 3-4 days, the social media platform “Twitter” was ridden with targeted hate against
one community. Below is a preliminary list of statements made on social media platform
twitter that require legal action to be initiated against them:
S.No Quoted Tweet IPC Section Applicable Link
1. “"#Karnataka Jihadis drape Islamic
flag on Shankaracharya statue in
holy city of Shringeri; Two Muslim
youths Rafiq and Sahil detained by
police:"
Sec 153A, 295A, 298,
505(2)
https://twitter.com/a
runpudur/status/129
3857047948083200?
s=20
2. Image showing Muslim pelting stones
while saying Kafiro se azadi.
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/s
cleroplex/status/129
3436097867812864?
s=20
3. Why no violence when hindu "gods"
are abused so frequently but
violence when "messanger" gets it v
back? @Tejasvi_Surya
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/i
ntruder6121/status/
12934447031619952
65?s=20
4. “They r still tagged as minority
why??? Abe khula ghumte ho.. Koi
boundation ni h.. Jo muhh m aaya
bak diya... ND jb ni chali tb kya hnn
tab aata h inka victim card. They r
still tagged as minority why??? Abe
khula ghumte ho.. Koi boundation ni
h.. Jo muhh m aaya bak diya... ND
jb ni chali tb kya hnn tab aata h inka
victim card.”
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/K
ashish16235870/stat
us/12934503427182
91968?s=20
5. “Maybe it’s time for hindus to give it
back.”
Sec 153 A, 295A, 298 https://twitter.com/t
anuja_ajunat/status/
12934210044929269
76?s=20

5. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
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6. “This means Naveen is hero. We
need more hindus like him”
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/a
nnytammy1/status/1
29343810326526771
3?s=20
7. “SHOOT OUT KA ORDER DIJIYE
YOGI BABA KI TARAH ....A
KATHMULLE ATABKWADIO KI EK HI
JGH HAI KABRISTAN”
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/
Abhishe61201650/st
atus/129349423475
9213058?s=20
8. “Whoever it is,post his details, let's
pay a nice visit to that zealot who
thinks it's fine to insult Religion n they
hope to get away with it”
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/t
hemmadi_06/status/
12934591298019532
80?s=20
9. “in maderchodo ka ek hi ilaz ya to
pakistan ya kabristan”
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/p
ranavajain/status/12
93470202064117760
?s=20
10.Hindus if you want to win against
these Jihadis, learn how to be
extremists. #Bengalururiots
#Bengaluru
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/v
icious_vandal/status/
12932834636054978
56?s=20
11.#bengaluruviolence म खतरे म या था
अ लाह का इ लाम या मु ला का इ लाम
। ' व त आ गया इंकलाब लाना होगा
जु म का कु छ तो जवाब लाना
होगा।#BengaluruRiots क अब यह
मांग।
Sec 153A, 153B, 295A,
298, 505(2)
https://twitter.com/s
umitk_saxena/status
/1294150277117939
712?s=20
12.“This is all a part of their war against
India”
Sec 153 A, https://twitter.com/p
ostcard_news/status
/1293578060789243
905?s=20
All the statements made in the aforementioned tweets are criminal offences under the Indian
Penal Code, 1860 that denigrate the social fabric of secularism of the country. In light of the
extent of the impact that unravelled owing to a social media post, it is imperative that action
be taken against the users who have been misusing the platform to make communally charged
statements and incite violence.
III. Duty of the Karnataka State Minorities Commission:
There is a special responsibility cast upon the State Minorities Commission as it very much
part of the mandate of the Commission to monitor violations of the fundamental rights of the
minorities and draw attention to the emerging pattern of violations. This targeted hatred

6. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
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against a minority community falls well within this mandate. As per Karnataka State Minorities
Commission Act, 2000, Sec 9, the functions include:
“(d) to conduct studies, research and analysis on the questions of avoidance of discriminations
against minorities;
f) to make recommendations for ensuring, maintaining and promoting communal harmony in
the State;
(g) to make periodical reports at prescribed intervals to the Government;
(h) to study any other matter which in the opinion of the Commission is important from the
point of view of the welfare and development of minorities and to make appropriate
recommendation;
(i) to consider the grievances of the minorities and to suggest appropriate solution from time
to time;”
Keeping these functions in mind the Karnataka State Minority Commission must take
cognizance of this matter given that it is a well-established fact that media coverage of a
communally sensitive situation has an impact on several key aspects of maintaining a healthy
democracy. The media reportage in this case has been sensationalised, creating a narrative
of us vs them, blaming the entire Muslim community for the violence, defaming Muslim
dominated localities by airing unverified and provocative statements.
In light of the same, we seek that the Commission:
1. Issue notices to TV9 channel, Suvarna channel and Hosa Digantha newspaper
for their communally charged coverage which is in violation of the Rule 6
Programme and Advertising Code and Section 295 A, Section 298 and 505(2)
of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 respectively.
2. Issue notices to all the social media users who spewed hate speech.
3. Issue directions to the police to initiate criminal action against social media
users who were propagating hate including the registration of FIR under
Section 153A, 153B, 295A, 295B, 298,505(2) and ensure their arrest.
4. Call for a report from the State Government on action taken against those
spreading and promoting hatred.

7. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
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5. Issue necessary direction against individual and groups furthering
misinformation and promoting hatred in order to ensure the permanent
suspension of their social media accounts.
6. Direct the Government to undertake a campaign to promote communal
harmony and against the spread of hatred and misinformation
7. Issue directions to the social media platforms to urgently to reform their policy
in the specific context of India to avoid recurrence of such incidents.
We urge you to also act on this matter urgently as any delay could have precipitous
consequences.

8. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
ೆ ೕಷದ ಾತುಗಳ ರುದ ಜ ಾಂ ೋಲನ
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ANNEXURE – A

9. CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE SPEECH
ೆ ೕಷದ ಾತುಗಳ ರುದ ಜ ಾಂ ೋಲನ
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ANNEXURE – B