A complaint lodged at the News Broadcasters Association against Malayalam news channel Asianet News has been accessed by the Organiser weekly, in which Action is sough against the channel for objectionable reporting of Bengal riots.
The complainant has accused Asianet News of disrespecting the media ethics and going against the sovereignty of our country and breaking all the prevailing media protocol and ethics just to show their political stand in Kerala.
“We all heard and deeply hurt by the recent Bengal Riots post-state elections in the state. Many people killed and almost 1000 families were stranded and left their home to save lives and seek asylum in even neighbouring states. Asianet did a filthy sort of reporting by first omitting the news as a whole. Then national media started covering it as mainstream content and run the full-day story, Asianet news was also forced to report the same after a couple of days.,” the complaint read.
“Under the guidance of their Coordinating Editor, Mr Prasanth Raghuvamsam stationed at Delhi Beaureu of Asianet News did a smart one side reporting with a clear political intention. He and his team explained the cruelties of TMC cadres as sheer “Political Accusation” of BJP. There was amble proof available for the media against TMC goons to report the incident impartial to show justice to journalism. But Asianet News and Mr. Prasanth saw the loss of lives of common people in riots just as a political drama and there was not even 1% of investigation done by the Asianet News to report the truth on the ground,” it added.
The complaint also mentions the telephonic conversation of an Asianet News reporter where she said that Bengal was a part of Pakistan and let the ‘Sanghis die’.
“Another recent heinous incident in the name of Asianet News was when they went against the Sovereignty of India and biased news reporting based on the political inclination. In an audio clip attached to this mail, you can find the atrocious behaviour of the channel personnel disrespecting the audience also,” the complaint said.
“When a fellow viewer called Asianet News desk and asked the last reporter, why you are not reporting Bengal Post poll riots while all the National and State media giving it a prime time news. Then the arrogant lady reporter said the lady viewer that, why you are so concerned about “Sanghis ” ( BJP/RSS ) getting killed and beaten by in Bengal. We didn’t report it purposefully and we are not compelling you to watch our chanel. We can do reporting like this only.
Then the lady viewer asked again, why Bengalis are not Indians?. The Asianet reporter said, “No, Bengal is not in India and it’s in Pakistan”. And she simply disconnected the phone. The same reporter had many such arrogant political interactions which went viral many times breaking all media protocol and shown her left leaning politics openly,” it added.
The complaint had been sent to News Broadcasters Association for initiating action against Asianet News.
