IPS Officers Demand Action Against Sudarshan News for Hate Story on Muslim Civil Servants
The Indian Police Foundation has called it “hate story” and “dangerous bigotry” and asked the news regulatory body and the UP police to take action against the offender
Waquar Hasan |New Delhi
Following the good performances of Muslim aspirants in the recent examination held by the Union Public Service Commission, several Hindutva supporters have started giving this enviable success a communal colour by making hateful comments on social media.
The hate speeches against Muslim civil servants have drawn massive outrage on Twitter after Hindutva news anchor Suresh Chavhanke, notorious for his anti-Muslim rants on his channel, uploaded a teaser of his programme on this issue in which he called the success of Muslim civil servants as “infiltration of Muslims in bureaucracy”. The video clip of the controversial programme titled “Big Expose on the Conspiracy of Muslim Infiltration into Bureaucracy” was uploaded on Twitter on Tuesday.
“How come suddenly the number of Muslims has increased in IAS and IPS? What is the secret of them getting the highest marks and ranks in one of the toughest exams?” he asks in the video.
“Imagine if the ‘jihadi of Jamia’ will be your district collectors and secretaries in ministries, what will happen then? Watch our biggest expose on ‘Naukarshahi jihad’ (bureaucracy jihad) this Friday,” he adds.
The inflammatory content of the video triggered protests on social media platforms with many influential people raising strong objections to the hate-filled content of the programme and asked the IPS and IAS officers and their associations to condemn it and take action against the offender.
Reacting to the controversial programme teaser, the Indian IPS (central) Association termed it “communal” and “irresponsible piece of journalism”.
“A news story targeting candidates in civil services on the basis of religion is being promoted by Sudarshan TV. We condemn the communal and irresponsible piece of journalism,” tweeted the Association.
The Indian Police Foundation has called it “hate story” and “dangerous bigotry” and asked the news regulatory body and the UP police to take action against the offender.
“The hate story carried on a Noida TV channel against minority candidates joining IAS /IPS is dangerous bigotry. We refrain from retweeting it because it is pure venom. We hope #NewsBroadcastingStandardsAuthority, #UPPolice and concerned government authorities take strict action,” tweeted the Foundation.
There were other IPS and IAS officers who strongly denounced Chavanke for airing such hateful programmes on his channel. Former IPS officer Dr. N.C Asthana said that what Chavhanke was doing was an offence and urged the UPSC to initiate legal action against him.
“It is an offence. By casting doubts on the integrity and impartiality of a constitutional body like the UPSC in the selection of officers for All-India Services, he is spreading disaffection for the constitutional scheme of governance. UPSC must respond and initiate legal action,” tweeted Asthana.
IPS officer Niharika Bhatt has termed it as ‘despicable attempt at hate-mongering’ which should be dealt with strict legal action.
“A despicable attempt at hate-mongering. To question the credentials of officers on the basis of religion is not only laughable, but should also be dealt with strictest legal provisions. We are all Indians first,” said Bhatt.
Another IPS officer, RK Vij, has also called Chavhanke’s ‘hateful comments’ as ‘disgusting and condemnable’ and it must be stopped.
IAS officer Rahul Kumar, who is posted in Bihar’s Purnea district as district magistrate, has said that this is against the fabric of constitutional institutions and urged Twitter to take action against him.
Police complaints were also filed against Chavhanke. Activist Saket Gokhale filed a police complaint against him in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar. He also urged others to register police complaints against him in police stations in their areas. Gokhale also wrote to the UPSC to take urgent action against him.
Netizens trended #SuspendSureshChavhanke demanding from Twitter to take action against his account which is verified one with a blue tick.