Naseeruddin, Sharmila protest against TV channel calling teachers 'anti-national'

Nearly 250 academics, journalists, film-makers, theatre artistes and activists have jointly issued a statement calling for action against a prominent Hindi news channel for its 'relentless tirade' against Nivedita Menon and Gauhar Raza. They appeal to central and Delhi governments to 'initiate criminal proceedings against the channel for putting a citizen's life under threat' and demand an 'unconditional apology' from the channel. It has been signed by Anand Patwardhan, Naseeruddin Shah, Sharmila Tagore, Shubha Mudgal and over 200 others. 'Naseeruddin Shah, Shekhar Kapur shed superstar image in front of camera' 'Singling out of individuals and creating a mass-frenzy against them using the medium of TV is a dangerous trend. [The channel] initiated this defamatory exercise in the case of the students of the JNU also, and these doctored videos have become the basis of arrest and harassment of Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban. They have not yet apologised for this highly irresponsible act. Despite their bluff being called, they have persisted,' says the statement, Menon is a feminist political scientist and Raza a scientist, Urdu poet and film-maker. The academics object to the channel's 'label[ing]' Menon and Raza as 'desh drohi' ('anti-national'). 'Gauhar Raza, was portrayed as part of what it terms in derogatory and unethical language the 'Afzal-loving poets' gang'. In both cases, decontextualized video clippings of these individuals' appearances in public events have been aired and their names repeatedly flashed through evening bulletins.' 'That [the channel] can continue to flout all ethical codes of journalistic conduct, and conduct this relentless tirade against Nivedita Menon and Gauhar Raza is criminal and unacceptable,' they continue, 'We call upon the Press Council of India and te Broadcast Association to take note of this criminality and initiate necessary action against the channel.'The signers include the poet Ashok Vajpeyi, singer Madan Gopal, activist Harsh Mander, dozens of teachers across universities and states, journalists and lawyers. WATCH: Naseeruddin Shah criticizes Salman Khan