PIL in HC against giving “communal flavour” to coronavirus news
Petitioner Umar Farooq, who claimed to be a member of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), alleged that sections of media reported about the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, which became a big hotspot for coronavirus spread, with a "communal flavour"
A PIL has been filed in the Madras High Court against alleged communal flavour to the coronavirus news in sections of media and seeking directions to strictly comply with the Supreme Court’s recent order to publish official version on the pandemic.
A special bench comprising Justices R Subbiah and R Pongiappan, before which the petition came up for hearing on Thursday, adjourned the hearing by two weeks for filing of counter by the centre and the Tamil Nadu government.
Petitioner Umar Farooq, who claimed to be a member of the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), alleged that sections of media reported about the Tablighi Jamaat event in Delhi, which became a big hotspot for coronavirus spread, with a “communal flavour”.
This has “triggered communal antagonism” and has also perpetrated hatred affecting communal harmony, he claimed and pleaded the media should be directed to tread with caution and warned against the giving any communal angle to the Tablighi event.
