Daijiworld Media Network - Shivamogga (SP)

Shivamogga, Feb 19: The Child Welfare Committee of the district has summoned representatives of several Kannada news channels for allegedly violating child rights and causing distress to children in their coverage of the Hijab issue.

Rekha G M, president, Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of the district has written to the senior assistant director in the department of information and public relations here, seeking the presence of district heads of the media, reporters and cameramen. The concerned were asked to appear in person before the committee on Friday February 18.

In the letter, the committee president said, "It has been observed that some of the media, while covering the controversial issue of Hijab, have been interfering with the rights of the children. We have observed certain scenes aired on social websites which were recorded in a way which caused mental disturbances among the children. This is violation of Juvenile Justice Act 2015 section 75 and many channels including Suvarna News, TV9, Digvijaya TV, Power TV, News First Live TV, Public TV and BTV have directly telecast scenes from schools in Shivamogga.

As the committee does not have details of addresses and telephone numbers of the media heads of these media channels, reporters, cameramen, etc and as the matter is urgent and as there is no time to undertake personal correspondence in the matter, the concerned were directed appear before the committee on February 18, the notice stated.