NBDSA says linking an individual allegation from Meerut to wider narratives carries communal implications and breaches journalistic standards
NEW DELHI — The News Broadcasting and Digital Standards Authority (NBDSA) has issued a cautionary warning to NDTV over the use of the term “Thook Jihad” in a December 2024 broadcast, observing that the expression carried communal implications and violated principles of responsible journalism.
The matter was related to a report aired by the channel concerning an alleged incident in Meerut, where a man was accused of spitting on rotis while preparing food. A complaint against the broadcast was filed by advocate Utkarsh Mishra, who argued that the channel gave a communal colour to an isolated allegation by associating it with the phrase “Thook Jihad”.
According to the complaint, the programme created the impression that such incidents were part of an organised religious campaign, despite the absence of verified evidence supporting such a broader claim. The complainant argued that using terms linked to “jihad” violated broadcasting guidelines meant to prevent communalisation of crimes and discourage hate speech.
The complaint also raised objections regarding the manner in which the accused person’s interview was aired. It was argued that the questioning resembled a police-style interrogation and presented viewers with a one-sided and incomplete version of events.
In its response before the regulator, NDTV defended the programme, saying the report focused on public health concerns and social behaviour. The channel argued that it had referred to material already circulating in the public domain and maintained that the phrase “Thook Jihad” had by then become part of wider public discourse rather than an attempt to target any specific religious community.
The broadcaster also informed the authority that the disputed content had been voluntarily removed.
However, in its order issued on 19 May, NBDSA Chairperson Justice A K Sikri rejected the channel’s defence and observed that the term “jihad” itself carried communal overtones, regardless of whether a community was directly named. The authority stated that while the alleged incident itself could be reported as news, linking it to a wider narrative such as “Thook Jihad” created an unfair generalisation and risked reinforcing religious stereotypes.
The authority further observed that expressions such as “Love Jihad”, “Food Jihad”, “Land Jihad”, “Mehndi Jihad” and “Thook Jihad” have increasingly appeared in television debates and media discussions in recent years. Critics, according to the order, have repeatedly argued that such labels contribute to negative perceptions against Muslims by connecting individual allegations to an entire religious community without verified proof.
Since the channel had already removed the disputed content, the NBDSA decided not to impose any financial penalty. Instead, it issued a warning advising the broadcaster to avoid such terminology and sweeping narratives in future broadcasts.
Media observers say the ruling is significant because it reiterates the responsibility of television channels to avoid sensational or communal language while reporting criminal allegations, particularly in sensitive social and religious contexts.
The order also referred to earlier actions taken by the NBDSA against several television channels between 2023 and 2026 over alleged violations related to communal harmony, accuracy and hate content. These included actions involving Zee News, Times Now, News18 India and other broadcasters.
In February 2026, the NBDSA imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on Zee News over a March 2025 programme that linked a traffic jam on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway to a truck driver offering prayers, a broadcast that the authority found problematic under its communal reporting guidelines.
