Owner of pro-Hindutva TV channel, Suresh Chavhanke, has launched a vile hate campaign against successful Muslim candidates in the prestigious civil services exam conducted by the UPSC. Chavhanke, who runs Sudarshan TV and was accused by his own woman employee of rape, audaciously tagged India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, while sharing the video of his hate speech.
The video posted by Chavhanke is so vile that this can’t even be reproduced here. Chavhanke said that the increase in the success ratio of Muslim candidates in the civil services exam was a part of ‘UPSC Jihad.’ Chavhanke even tweeted about his meeting with BJP’s Rajya Sabha MP Harnath Singh Yadav to discuss the possibility of raising the issue in the parliament.
While PM Modi did not care to react to Chavhanke’s vile hate speech, the IPS issued a mild condemnation. It tweeted, “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.”
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.
— IPS Association (@IPS_Association) August 27, 2020
Just like PM Modi, the IAS Association too has decided to remain a mute spectator on the topic. Meanwhile, a body known as the Indian Police Foundation took serious note of Chavhanke’s hate speech and urged the TV watchdog to take punitive measures against him. It tweeted, “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.”
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.
— Indian Police Foundation (@IPF_ORG) August 27, 2020
Meanwhile, activists have demanded strict action against the hatemonger masquerading as a journalist. Saket Gokhale has filed a case with the judicial magistrate in Ahmednagar in Maharashtra since Chavhanke’s Sudarshan TV is registered in Shirdi.
Interestingly, Sudarshan News of @SureshChavhanke is registered in Maharashtra at Shirdi.
Have filed a case with the Judicial Magistrate, Ahmednagar for registering FIR against Chavhanke.
In a bit, I’ll share a draft to be sent to @noidapolice & UPSC.
Your support is needed ?
— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) August 27, 2020
Gokhale urged people to file complaints against Chavhanke at their local police stations.
The Sudarshan TV owner has had a history of hate speech and even faced allegations of rape by one of his female employees. In 2017, he called for attacks on Hajj pilgrims understandably to avenge the terror attack on Amarnath yatris.
A former woman employee of Sudarshan TV had accused Chavhanke of raping and molesting her besides indulging in criminal intimidation in 2016. He was later also arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Police for fanning communal tension in the state.