Urge star news channel to publicly apologize for its falsified reporting against Darul-ul-Uloom Deoband

October 08, 2006

ACTION ALERT

The Star News Channel's recent 'sting operation' against a scholar of Darul-Uloom Deoband, India, produced a report which on further enquiry turned out to be spurious and defamatory. The channel's report portrayed Mufti Habibur Rahman as accepting money from a person who had requested an injunction (Fatwa) regarding credit card usage. The Darul-Uloom had suspended the Mufti after the report and on further investigation found him to be innocent. The statement (fatwa) given by the Mufti was evaluated as being in consonance with the teachings of Islam.

Star News Channel had broadcast the story in various geographic locations as a sting operation under the name 'Be-Naqab' (uncovering). Analysis of the story after the enquiry suggests that the recording was forged, as evidenced by scenes such as the call to prayer (Azaan) playing in the background at 10:30 am. It is not an Islamic practice or a practice at the Darul-Uloom Deoband to play the Azaan at odd intervals.

Darul-uloom' s investigative committee has vindicated Mufti Habibur-Rahman and a press release from Darul-uloom on this issue can be found here: http://darululoom-deoband.com/english/news/shownews.php?id=9

ACTIONS REQUESTED

Please call/email/fax the Star News Channel and urge them to issue a public statement apologizing for forging the video contents and trying to defame one of the prestigious Islamic seminaries. Please address your request to Public Relations Manager or Media Manager. Please be polite and firm in your request.

TALKING POINTS

* Credibility of the reporting standards adopted by Star News journalists and editorial board.
* Pseudo sting operation betrays a lack of editorial scrutiny at Star News Channel.
* Forging contents of the captured video and broadcasting a tampered report.
* Darul-uloom Deoband is a prestigious seminary of Indian sub-continent and of Muslims worldwide and a shocking lack of sensitivity has been displayed in reporting without verifying the content and sources.
* Star News is bound to lose it’s viewers to other channels unless a fair and balanced reporting style is adopted.

REFERENCES

http://darululoom-deoband.com/english/news/shownews.php?id=9
http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=091810
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1053743

PHONE/FAX

P.S. When calling from the U.S. add 011 to the following numbers:

New Delhi
Corporate Office: (91) 11 4249 4900
Senior Editor (Mr. Venkat Rao): (91) 11 4100 2000
Fax: (91) 11 5104 9490

Hong Kong
Head Office: (852) 2621 8888
Fax: (852) 2621 8000