Sudarshan TV and Editor-in-Chief Suresh Chavanke have repeatedly made headlines over the last few weeks. Embroiled in a Supreme Court case over its "UPSC Jihad" program, the channel however continues to maintain its stance. A plea had been filed seeking a stay on the telecast of Sudarshan TV's 'Bindas Bol' programme on alleged "infiltration" of Muslim into bureaucracy. Hearings for the same continue.
On Tuesday, a new issue came up as it appeared that the channel had lifted artwork from another media organisation, Newslaundry. More specifically, the organisation had taken a sketch by Anish Daolagupu that was made for Newslaundry and edited Chavanke onto it. That is to say, while the original airwork had featured a pen nib being attacked from all sides, here, the pen has been replaced with a cutout of the Sudarshan TV Editor.
The issue was flagged by Newslaundry columnist Meghnad who noted that the artwork in question had appeared in a report on how the press had been affected amid the Delhi Riots in February this year. The report, about how over a dozen reporters had been "attacked, intimidated during Delhi riots" had been published on February 26.
"Hi @SudarshanNewsTV, You are now plagiarizing artwork from @newslaundry, who has been calling you out for hatemongering, to make posters asking for support? That too from a report on Delhi riots? How very ironic," he tweeted.
While the post has also been re-shared by co-founder Abhinandan Sekhri, there does not seem to have been any response from Chavanke or Sudarshan TV, at least via Twitter.