Public tv complaints

1. To, Date: 12th March 2020
The Chairman
District Level Monitoring Committee for Private Television Channels
Bengaluru District
Office of The Commissioner of Police
2, Ali Asker Road,
Vasanth Nagar,
Bengaluru – 560051
Respected Sir,
Subject: Complaint against Public TV for making Statements in violation of
Programme Code
The Campaign for Ethical media reporting is a group of concerned activists, parents,
lawyers, academicians who are working towards making media more accountable to
journalistic standards, ethics and principles.
We are filing this complaint against HR Ranganathan, Public TV for making
statements in violation of the Programme Code in Rule 6 of the Cable Television
Network Rules, 1994 in a TV show called ‘Big Bulletin with HR Ranganathan’ that
aired on 20th February 2020.
In the said show, HR Ranganathan has made the following statements in the context
of Ms Amulya who has been accused in a case filed by the Upparpete Police Station,
Bengaluru. In the said show, while speaking about her, he has made deeply
offensive statements and given a call for violence against her. The transcript of what
he has stated in below:
“She should have been punched in the face, and her teeth knocked out, right
there on the dais. Letting her on it was the mistake. It would have been fine
if her teeth had been knocked out. She could have then been chopped up and
thrown away.”
“Oh, if you bash her head in you won’t find cow-dung there.”

2. “If she comes out, she should be lynched with cow-dung, wherever she can
be seen. If we hit her will they file cases? Let them file the cases, let us see.”
“If three of them are chopped up and thrown away, the rest will fall into line.”
“That is why, sometimes, I think it’s better to dispense mob justice/aranya ,
though it is wrong.”
“Whether it is being incited or not, the legs of those who get caught should
cut off and thrown away.”
“Their faces should be bashed in, what kind of people are these.”
This video recording of this show is available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhzUuVHVPSw&feature=youtu.be, and a copy is
produced as Annexure – A.
These statements have been made with an evident and clear intention to abet the
commission of murder of the person in question. Further, the statement has created
an atmosphere of lawlessness and fear, and amounts to a statement conducing to
public mischief, and also criminal intimidation. Therefore, the statements amount to
violation of the following clauses of the Programme Code:
“(d) Contains anything obscene, defamatory, deliberate, false and suggestive
innuendos and half-truths;
(e) is likely to encourage or incite violence or contains anything against
maintenance of law and order or which promote anti-national attitudes;
(i) Criticises, maligns or slanders any individual in person or certain groups,
segments of social, public and moral life of the country”
There can be no doubt about the fact that a person accused of an offence continues
to be innocent until proven guilty. The said person is a woman and the statements
made by Mr Ranganath are deeply offensive and gives an open call for violence
against the said person. Not only does it put the said person’s life in jeopardy it also
causes serious issues of law and order. In a society where women, especially from
minority communities are exposed to extreme hate and even physical danger, this
form of public violence and abuse by media is extremely concerning.
In this regard, we seek for appropriate legal action to be taken against Public TV for
the gross violation of the Programme Code in the speech made in the appended
video including seizure of equipment used for operating the cable television network
under Section 11 of the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995 for

3. violation of Programme Code, requiring Public TV to scroll an apology for a 2 months
and suspension of broadcast of Public TV for a period of 2 months.
Place: Bangalore (Signature)
Date: 12th March 2020

4. To Date: 13 March 2020
The Chairman,
Karnataka State Human Rights Commission
1st-4th Floor, MS Building,
5th Phase, Dr BR Ambedkar Veedhi,
Bengaluru -560001
From,
(Name)
(Address)
(Contact number)
Subject: Complaint against HR Ranganathan, Public TV for making
Statements in violation of Human Rights
Respected Sir,
The Campaign for Ethical media reporting is a group of concerned activists, parents,
lawyers, academicians who are working towards making media more accountable to
journalistic standards, ethics and principles.
We are filing this complaint against HR Ranganathan, Public TV for making
statements that affect the human rights of a fellow citizen in a TV show called ‘Big
Bulletin with HR Ranganathan that aired on 20th February 2020.
In the said show, HR Ranganathan has made the following statements in the context
of Ms Amulya who has been accused in a case filed by the Upparpete Police Station,
Bengaluru. In the said show, while speaking about her, he has made deeply
offensive statements and given a call for violence against her. The transcript of what
he has stated in below:
“She should have been punched in the face, and her teeth knocked out, right
there on the dais. Letting her on it was the mistake. It would have been fine
if her teeth had been knocked out. She could have then been chopped up and
thrown away.”
“Oh, if you bash her head in you won’t find cow-dung there.”
“If she comes out, she should be lynched with cow-dung, wherever she can
be seen. If we hit her will they file cases? Let them file the cases, let us see.”
“If three of them are chopped up and thrown away, the rest will fall into line.”

5. “That is why, sometimes, I think it’s better to dispense mob justice/aranya ,
though it is wrong.”
“Whether it is being incited or not, the legs of those who get caught should
cut off and thrown away.”
“Their faces should be bashed in, what kind of people are these.”
This video recording of this show is available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhzUuVHVPSw&feature=youtu.be, and a copy is
produced as Annexure – A.
Such statements amount to a violation of human rights inasmuch as they have been
made with an evident and clear intention to abet the commission of murder of the
person in question. Further, the statement has created an atmosphere of
lawlessness and fear.
There can be no doubt about the fact that a person accused of an offence continues
to be innocent until proven guilty. The said person is a woman and the statements
made by Mr Ranganath are deeply offensive and gives an open call for violence
against the said person. Not only does it put the said person’s life in jeopardy it also
causes serious issues of law and order. In a society where women, especially from
minority communities are exposed to extreme hate and even physical danger, this
form of public violence and abuse by media is extremely concerning.
In this regard, we request that suitable action be taken by the Karnataka State
Human Rights Commission, including making a recommendation to the government
to initiate proceedings for prosecution against HR Ranganathan for the speech made
in the appended video.
Place: Bangalore (Signature)
Date: 13th March 2020

6. To Date: 13th March 2020
The Chairman,
Karnataka State Commission for Women
No.107, 1st Floor, Karnataka Home Board Building
Kaveri Bhavan, Kempegowda Rd,
Bengaluru - 560009
Subject: Complaint against HR Ranganathan, Public TV for making
Statements in violation of Women’s Rights
Respected Sir,
The Campaign for Ethical media reporting is a group of concerned activists, parents,
lawyers, academicians who are working towards making media more accountable to
journalistic standards, ethics and principles.
We are filing this complaint against HR Ranganathan, Public TV for making
statements that affect the rights of a woman in a TV show called ‘Big Bulletin with
HR Ranganathan that aired on 20th February 2020.
In the said show, HR Ranganathan has made the following statements in the context
of Ms Amulya who has been accused in a case filed by the Upparpete Police Station,
Bengaluru. In the said show, while speaking about her, he has made deeply
offensive statements and given a call for violence against her. The transcript of what
he has stated in below:
“She should have been punched in the face, and her teeth knocked out, right
there on the dais. Letting her on it was the mistake. It would have been fine
if her teeth had been knocked out. She could have then been chopped up and
thrown away.”
“Oh, if you bash her head in you won’t find cow-dung there.”
“If she comes out, she should be lynched with cow-dung, wherever she can
be seen. If we hit her will they file cases? Let them file the cases, let us see.”
“If three of them are chopped up and thrown away, the rest will fall into line.”
“That is why, sometimes, I think it’s better to dispense mob justice/aranya ,
though it is wrong.”

7. “Whether it is being incited or not, the legs of those who get caught should
cut off and thrown away.”
“Their faces should be bashed in, what kind of people are these.”
This video recording of this show is available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhzUuVHVPSw&feature=youtu.be, and a copy is
produced as Annexure – A.
Such statements amount to a violation of the rights of the woman in question
inasmuch as they have been made with an evident and clear intention to abet the
commission of murder of the person in question, and clearly incite violence against
her. Further, the statement has created an atmosphere of lawlessness and fear.
There can be no doubt about the fact that a person accused of an offence continues
to be innocent until proven guilty. The said person is a woman and the statements
made by Mr Ranganath are deeply offensive and gives an open call for violence
against the said person. Not only does it put the said person’s life in jeopardy it also
causes serious issues of law and order. In a society where women, especially from
minority communities are exposed to extreme hate and even physical danger, this
form of public violence and abuse by media is extremely concerning.
The Karnataka State Commission for Women has the function to look into all issues
relating to women’s rights and the portrayal of women in the media. The program
broadcast on Public TV is a clear attack and a call for violence which requires to be
taken cognizance of.
In this regard, we request that suitable action be taken by the Karnataka State
Commission for Women in respect of this violation of women’s rights.
Place: Bangalore (Signature)
Date: 13th March 2020