Media can't be gagged with blanket order: Centre to SC on Tablighi Jamaat reports

The Union government on Friday told the Supreme Court that an “attempt to seek a blanket gag order against the entire media” would meddle with freedom of Indians to know about various sections of the nation and the right of the journalists to ensure an informed society.

Responding to a plea for strict action against the media for communalisation of the Tablighi Jamaat meeting in Delhi's Nizamuddin Markaz, the Centre said in an affidavit that “media cannot be gagged” and that Citizens, in fact, have the right and freedom to know.

A bench presided over by Chief Justice S A Bobde said the matter can be looked at from the perspective of reporting standards.

Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave said that the Prime Minister has himself said not to communalise the Covid crisis. The issue was required to be addressed.

To this, the bench said we were not belittling the problem but we're handicapped due to lack of expertise.

An expert body can have a look at the issue, the bench added.

The court gave two weeks time to the petitioners including Jamiat Ulama-I-Hind to file their rejoinder.

The News Broadcasters Association, for its part, said it was already looking at the issue especially from the perspective of Tablighi Jamaat.

The court also sought a response from the News Broadcasting Standards authority and News Broadcasting Federation.

Over thousands of members, including foreigners, participated in Tablighi Jamat in Nizamuddin in Delhi in March. Hundreds of them were subsequently found to be infected with the coronavirus.

After the incident, several news reports were shown with "communal headlines and bigoted statements" by presenting the information in a "twisted and incendiary manner". The petitioner alleged that certain sections of media have excerbated tension in society by showing "virulent and vitriolic statements" inciting hatred against the entire Muslim community.