Kozhikode : A non-bailable FIR has been filed against Zee News’ editor-in-chief, Sudhir Chaudhary in Kozhikode city, Kerala for his recent show which was criticized for its derogatory views towards the Muslims Community. He hosts the prime-time show called Daily News And Analysis on Zee News.
The anchor took to Twitter to share the news. “Here’s my Pulitzer Prize for reporting the truth, Sharing the citation – an FIR filed against me by the Kerala Police under nonbailable sections. The award for exposing inconvenient facts. A clear message for media. If u don’t toe the decades-old pseudo-secular line you’ll be behind bars ” tweeted Chaudhary along with a snapshot of the FIR page.
The FIR says: ‘On March 11, 2020, Zee News TV channel broadcast DNA program. The accused presented a program that is offending the Muslim religion.’
He also tweeted, “This is the price for daring to speak against #ZameenJihad in Jammu,#LoveJihad in Kerala, PFI funding of CAA protests, and for daring to enter Shaheen Bagh. I have all the respect for the law but these tactics won’t stop me. Bring it on!”
Meanwhile, Twitter users brutally trolled him then for “spreading communal hatred”, Twitter users trolled him even now for calling the FIR, as his Pulitzer Prize.
Not that I support filing FIRs against you, Sudhir ji. But I do think your claim of "exposing inconvenient facts" is stretching it a little.
Also, that "Pulitzer prize" barb was completely unnecessary here. 😑
— meghnad 🔗 (@Memeghnad) May 7, 2020
“First Arnab, then Amish and now Sudhir, thode din ke liye sahi, ‘ACHE DIN’ aa gye,” tweeted another user.
“I hope you receive such Pulitzer Prize in large numbers in the coming days,” read another tweet.
The main highlights of the show aired on March 11 was the “jihad chart” which was taken from a Facebook page and translated in Hindi by Sudhir. In his show, he explained to his viewers what the chart detailed: “types of jihad” and what it meant according to him.
It talked about “soft jihad” and “hard jihad” inciting hatred amongst communities in this crucial and sensitive time of coronavirus with the country coming together to fight against it. “Hard Jihad includes Population Jihad, Love Jihad, Land Jihad, Education Jihad, Victim Jihad and Direct Jihad, while Soft Jihad includes Economic Jihad, History Jihad, Media Jihad, Movies, and Songs Jihad and Secular Jihad,” Sudhir Chaudhary had explained in his hour-long show.
He is often seen airing shows which elicit his hatred towards Muslims and their religion, claiming them to be anti-nationals. This FIR was booked by the Kerala Police after watching the show. He was widely criticized for his Islamophobic show.
It is to be noted Zee News editor Sudhir Chaudhary was sent to Tihar Jail for allegedly trying to extort R100 crore from Congress MP Naveen Jindal’s group in exchange for not running reports on the firm’s alleged role in the coal scam.
