In a relief to senior journalist and Editor-in-chief of The News Minute Dhanya Rajendran, the Delhi High Court has ordered the removal of YouTube videos and channels that claim The News Minute and other digital organisations are ‘agents of George Soros’.
Last year in March, The News Minute along with the Newslaundry and Confluence Media participated in a programme called ‘Cutting South’ which was part of a media festival in Kochi.
Reacting to this, the defendants The Karma News and Janam TV had posted content against The News Minute claiming the latter’s content was ‘an attempt to stoke social unrest in India at Soros’ behest.’
They also alleged that Rajendran and a few other digital news agencies were involved in ‘anti-national activities’ and aimed to ‘cut’ or ‘divide’ southern India.
Following this, Rajendran had filed a defamation case against the two. The phrase “Cutting South” was a wordplay on the terms “Cutting Chai” and “Cutting Edge”, according to her defamation suit.
Justice Vikas Mahajan passed the interim order saying that the defendants’ allegations “are not based on any credible and reliable sources for making out a case.”
The court observed that the claims were “defamatory and libellous”, and made in a “reckless manner”, with an intention to injure the reputation of Rajendran.
Big relief: Rajendran
The News Minute Editor-in-chief Dhanya Rajendran has called the court’s order a ‘big relief’. Taking to X she said that the independent media will continue to fight against those who strangle the truth.
“This was a big relief. And don’t be mistaken, we will fight each time,” she wrote on X.
