Tablighi Case: Supreme Court Slams Centre For Defending ‘Bad Reporting’ By Media

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Thursday said freedom of speech has become an abusive liberty in recent times.

The CJI made the observation while hearing petitions filed by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and others asking action against the media for “spreading hatred” over the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Markaz Nizamuddin in February.

The apex court also slammed the Center for its “evasive” and “brazen” affidavit filed by a  junior officer of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, stating that there has been “no instance of bad reporting” in the matter.

The CJI, as quoted by Bar & Bench, told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, “You cannot treat the court how you are treating it. The affidavit is by some junior officer. The affidavit is evasive and says the petitioner shows no instance of bad reporting. You may not agree, but how you can say there is no instance of bad reporting shown? Secretary of the department (Information and Broadcasting Ministry) must file an affidavit and avoid any unnecessary and nonsensical averments as made now.”

The SC also told the government to apprise it over the steps taken to prevent motivated media reporting in the past.

The matter will again come up for hearing after two weeks.