The News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has issued a series of cautionary orders to multiple TV news channels for using the term “jihad” in programmes tied to individual criminal allegations. The regulator said broadcasters must not use the expression loosely and must follow standards on accuracy, impartiality and communal harmony.
NBDSA Chairperson Justice A.K. Sikri delivered the orders on complaints against Zee News, Times Now Navbharat, News18 India and NDTV India. Advocates Utkarsh Mishra, Indrajeet Ghorpade and Matin Mujawar filed the complaints.
What the complaints said
The complainants argued that phrases like “food jihad”, “thook jihad” and “QR code jihad” gave a communal colour to isolated incidents. They said the broadcasts did not show credible material to support an organised or ideological motive.
Utkarsh Mishra told the NBDSA that, while working with the Institute of Perception Studies, they tracked as many as 465 broadcasts across channels that pushed such theories.
Standards NBDSA flagged
The complaints alleged breaches of the Code of Ethics and Broadcasting Standards. They cited rules on:
- accuracy and impartiality
- communal harmony
- avoiding content that could promote hatred or disharmony
The NBDSA also noted a pattern from earlier cases. It recorded that it has received several complaints over the years about channels using the term “jihad” while reporting on matters involving a specific community.
Zee News: “Food Jihad” framing
In one complaint against Zee News, the NBDSA examined a programme on an incident in Kanpur. The allegation involved a restaurant owner accused of serving non-vegetarian food in a vegetarian establishment while allegedly concealing his identity.
The programme used tickers calling it “food jihad” and suggested a wider pattern. The NBDSA said the channel could report the alleged incident. However, it objected to the “jihad” label because the broadcast showed no material linking the allegation to an organised motive.
The NBDSA cautioned Zee News and directed it to edit or remove the objectionable portions within seven days (order dated February 17). It said broadcasters should avoid giving solitary incidents a broader communal “flavour” and should not jump to conclusions without supporting material, as this can fuel communal disharmony.
Zee News: “QR Code Jihad” after Sambhal violence
In another Zee News matter, the NBDSA reviewed a programme titled “Sambhal Hinsa ke baad QR Code Jihaad”. The show discussed an allegation that an individual posed as a journalist and sought donations through a QR code after violence in Sambhal district.
The NBDSA said the subject could raise public interest concerns and justified factual reporting. But it found no reason to invoke the term “jihad” for that incident. It cautioned the channel and directed it to remove the offending portion.
Zee News argued that the phrase had entered public discourse and political figures had used it. The NBDSA noted that the programme did not attribute the term to any such source.
Times Now Navbharat: “Thook Jihad” reference
A separate complaint against Times Now Navbharat related to a programme that described alleged incidents of spitting in food as “thook jihad”.
The channel told the NBDSA it used the term only once and took down the broadcast after receiving the complaint. In view of this, the NBDSA did not conduct a detailed content examination. It still advised the channel to remain cautious in future broadcasts.
Wider pattern and new guidelines
While reviewing additional broadcasts from channels such as Zee Uttar Pradesh, Zee Bharat, News18 India and NDTV India, the NBDSA again observed a recurring use of the term “jihad” in reports involving a specific community.
The NBDSA said this trend made it necessary to frame “Guidelines in respect of the usage of the term jihad”. It stated that member organisations must follow these guidelines along with existing standards and prior NBDSA orders. The NBDSA said it has not issued the guidelines yet.
