Group of ex-civil servants asks for strong action against Sudharshan TV

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, September 1

A group of over 90 former civil servants on Tuesday wrote to the authorities in the government demanding strong action against Sudharshan TV for its proposed telecast of a communally-charged series on the recruitment of IAS and IPS officers in the country.

In a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the civil servants have called for “stronger administrative and legal action” against Sudarshan TV for its “communally charged, divisive and sensational series” on the recruitment process.

Incidentally, the Delhi High Court has already granted an interim stay on the telecast.

“This series claims to be an expose of a conspiracy in the recruitment process that has resulted in a sudden increase in the number of Muslim officers selected for the two most prestigious services — IAS and IPS — in the country. Jamia Millia Islamia has been singled out in this context,” the letter read.

It went on to add that it was “completely perverse” to allege that there was a conspiracy to infiltrate Muslim officers into the services or “to use terms such as UPSC Jihad or Civil Services Jihad” in this connection.

“The country is already smouldering with hate speech against Muslims, including allegations of Corona Jihad and Love Jihad, which various courts have found to be false. This telecast will add further fuel to that fire,” it said.

Noting the recent judgment by the Supreme Court, while not granting a stay on the telecast of the programme, the ex-bureaucrats said: “We note that under statutory provisions, competent authorities are vested with powers to ensure compliance with the law, including provisions of the criminal law intended to ensure social harmony and the peaceful co-existence of all communities.”

The group also urged the authorities concerned to order lodging of FIRs under the relevant legal provisions.