All India Radio (AIR) was called out for its blatant display of Islamophobia and false and malicious reporting after it tweeted a report on new COVID-19 cases in Jharkhand along with a picture of a mosque with skull cap wearing Muslims. The tweet, which is now deleted said ‘105 new patients detected in #Jharkhand, cases reach 1135,’ and accompanied a picture of a mosque, with no connection to either the coronavirus or the state of Jharkhand.
Social media users lashed out at All India Radio’s mischievous attempt to associate the coronavirus pandemic with Muslims and called for police against the national public radio broadcaster.
A picture of Muslims in a mosque put under a completely unrelated negative news by official All India radio. @airnewsalerts
This is Islamophobia.
This is highly objectionable.Can police file a case against them? pic.twitter.com/2L8P4k8c7X
— Spirit of Congress (@SpiritOfCongres) June 8, 2020
All India Radio News is writing that "105 new Corona positive patients are found" and put a picture of the mosque … so imagine how much Islamophobia there is in the government channel, private institutions including government institutions… #Islamophobia_in_India pic.twitter.com/Sq4EwzuYIh
— जावेद 🌿 (@JavedGAJI) June 8, 2020
What is the relation between this news and the picture All India Radio News?
The country's official radio is openly trying to set the agenda, wow! pic.twitter.com/Pkg9oNvVEJ
— Surbhi Sharma (@GrillCheese46) June 8, 2020
Some wanted to know why there is so much hatred against Muslims, and why it is always a particular community which is targeted.
All India Radio News
Why so much hatred against Muslims??Plz stop this vilification & be accountable.
Wonder why this image was selected to inform about the news#Islamophobia_in_India #mondaythoughts https://t.co/0GYBCx0K4l
— Shaheen (@Shaheen_avers) June 8, 2020
'All India Radio News' Deleted the tweet.
YES, WE CAN UNDERSTAND IT WAS USED 'INADVERTENTLY'.
Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.Even there is a question: Why does it only happen with that particular community? @ashoswai https://t.co/AnDrEU8mKZ
— Suhail Abraham 🇮🇳 (@Suhail_Abraham) June 8, 2020
Some even compared the broadcaster with Radio Rwanda for its tweet.
All India Radio @airnewsalerts or Radio Rwanda? What is the connection of the story and the image? Public broadcaster peddling hate against Muslims. https://t.co/bVe5FWWGFb
— Mohd Asim (@MohdAsim1) June 8, 2020
That's how radio stations play a role in enabling genocides.
Rwanda radio=All India Radio https://t.co/pq3t2ltSjY
— اُمامه پرویز (@umamaparwez) June 8, 2020
The channel then deleted its tweet without apologizing, and then used the same picture of the mosque to tweet that ‘places of worship, hotels and malls reopen in Assam’.
Places of worship, hotels and malls reopen in #Assam.#IndiaFightsCorona #COVID19 pic.twitter.com/v9xxPzvuKF
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) June 8, 2020
How convenient!
Also read: The Hindu Publishes Cartoon Showing Coronavirus In Muslim Attire, Takes It Down After Backlash
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