Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 23: The United Kingdom’s communications regulator Office of Communications imposed a fine of 20,000 pounds (approximately Rs 19.73 lac) on Arnab Goswami’s Republic Bharat, the Hindi news channel arm of Republic TV, for promoting hatred and intolerance. The channel has also been asked to air an apology.

In a media release, the broadcast regulator said that the views expressed by the presenter Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami and some of the guests violated its broadcasting norms in Republic Bharat’s ‘Poochta Hai Bharat’ programme that was aired on September 6, 2019. The release stated that the programme for which Republic Bharat has been penalised was related to India’s Chandrayaan 2 spacecraft mission to the moon and ‘involved a comparison of India’s space exploration and technological advancements compared to Pakistan, and Pakistan’s alleged terrorist activities against Indian targets’.

The broadcast regulator said that the comments made by Goswami and his guests on the discussion panel, which the regulator said ‘amounted to hate speech against Pakistani people, and derogatory and abusive treatment of Pakistani people’.

 The release pointed out that referring to Pakistani people, the guests and Goswami said: “Their scientists, doctors, their leaders, politicians all are terrorists. Even their sports people. Every child is a terrorist over there. Every child is a terrorist. You are dealing with a terrorist entity”.

 “In the context of these criticisms, Goswami, addressing Pakistan and/or Pakistani people, said: We make scientists, you make terrorists. It also took note of the use of the term ‘Paki’, which it said was a racist word and unacceptable to the audience of UK,” stated the broadcast regulator in the release.