Talibani burqas: Delhi Minorities Commission sends notice to Zee News over the remarks

New Delhi: Delhi Minorities Commission (DMC) comes into action and sent notice to the Managing Director of Zee News. In the notice, Commission sought documentary proof that Kairana’s women have been Talibanised.

According to the report published in The Indian Awaz, DMC questioned, is wearing burqa by elderly women is not a old tradition? It also questioned that is it not an attempt to influence voters in Kirana?

DMC further said that channel has to submit unconditional apology if it fails to submit proofs in this regard. Along with the written apology, channel has to explain the action taken against the staff responsible for false reporting.

It may be mentioned that during the recently held by-polls in Kairana parliamentary constituency, Zee News had telecasted a report which had claimed that Kairana’s Muslim women are wearing “Talibani burqas”. The anchor of the show was Sudhir Chaudhry.

It is also reported that during the show, Kairana’s elderly Muslim women were targeted for wearing burqa. Term “Talibani burqas” was used. It was alleged that the influence of “Ideology of Taliban” is increasing in the area. Words like “Bharat mein Talibani soch ki ghuspaith?”, “Talibani burqe ka itihasik DNA test”, “Dekhein Kairana mein Talibani burqe ka kya kaam” were also flashed.

DMC gave two weeks’ time to the channel to reply to the notice. Commission further asked the channel to submit an undertaking that no such baseless report will be telecasted in future. If it violates the undertaking, necessary action would be taken by DMC.

Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, Chairman of DMC is planning to write to Election Commission of India and News Broadcasting Standards Authority in this regard.