[LIVE UPDATES] SC Hearing On Plea Against Sudarshan TV's 'UPSC Jihad' Show

Divan: People can switch off the channel. People can contest. He can present his version of events. The public or the informed citizen can take a call and make a decision for themselves as to whether they want to believe it or not. 

Divan: When a journalist has investigated and found material regarding foreign funding. I think in our country, that person has the right to criticise this and present his version of the events. He may be right or may be wrong.

Divan now takes the Bench to the slideshow made by Syed Zakar Mehmood on the Kashmiri Renaissance. He states that just as Mehmood has the right to his freedom of speech, we have the right to criticise that speech. 

Divan submits that Chavhanke has not limited his arguments to all Muslims as the AGR relaxation and reservation pertains to only Muslim OBC. 

Divan: If a news channel is raising an objection of Muslims taking benefit of OBC quota the same cannot be communal and in this country time and again these questions and this debates are in public domain.

Divan: The answering Respondent while explaining the graphic had clarified that it is for Muslim OBC and not for General category Muslims candidate.

Divan: The answering Respondent has further questioned whether the benefits granted to OBC from a minority community must be reviewed. It is respectfully submitted that in this context there was a graphic of 32 years ‘General candidate’ compared with 35 years OBC minority

Divan: The answering Respondent states that a minority community is taking benefit of OBC and minority scheme simultaneously and the same is a political and social issue which is why we are seeking a debate.

Divan: The second point is that there is an important social issue here. The issue of reservation. Just last week, a 3-Judge Bench referred the issue of SEBC to a larger Bench. It’s a social issue and an important issue which we are entitled to discuss. This is the second basket.

Divan: These are weighty facts, these are weighty issues, and I as a journalist have the duty to project these facts and issues to the public. I could be wrong about FCRA, but the way is not to ban. The way is to contest.