FIR filed against three media houses in Lucknow

Lucknow: An FIR has been filed in Lucknow against three media houses and unknown news agencies for allegedly spreading “fake news” about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

On February 21, a case was filed against Dainik Bhaskar, Hari Bhoomi, and News24, Bhaskar, based on a complaint from RSS functionary Ashok Kumar Dubey.

Dubey, a prant pra char pramukh of the RSS in Awadh, alleged the three publications wrongly reported that the RSS was seeking 100 acres of land to construct its “second headquarters.”

The FIR was filed under sections 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with promoting enmity and public mischief, and section 66 of the IT Act.

According to the complaint of prant pra char pramukh (Avadh) of RSS, the Dainik Bhaskar report was published on its website on February 14 and was later picked up by News24. These media outlets alleged the RSS sought the land under Uttar Pradesh’s Navya Ayodhya scheme.

According to Dubey, these reports were a “deliberate act of maligning the image of the Sangh.” He claimed he “circulated a denial” on behalf of the RSS and had later been contacted by Vijay Upadhyay, bureau chief of Dainik Bhaskar in the state capital of UP, Lucknow, who “assured that he shall be conveying about such an incident to the head office of the newspaper.”

But Dainik Bhaskar’s print edition also carried the report on February 15. It was later picked up by other news outlets, including, according to the complaint, Hari Bhoomi, Focus 24, TV9, Punjab Kesari, Prakash TV, Bharat News, and others.

Dubey added that the news reports “misled” readers into “wrongly believing” that the RSS has “lost its path of Param Vaibhav” and that the agenda makes it “obvious to associate Shree Ram Mandir… with this organization.”

RSS Prachar Pramukh also said this was an “oblique and tainted news story,” published “irresponsibly and recklessly, without any degree of factual investigation, and ignoring all journalistic ethics and principles to malign the pious image of RSS.”

INDIA NEWS STREAM