Noida/New Delhi: ABP News Network Pvt. Ltd., one of India’s prominent Hindi news broadcasters, has landed in the middle of a major controversy after its anchor, Ms. Pratima Mishra, allegedly made a communally divisive remark during the telecast of the channel’s prime-time programme “Bharat Ki Baat” on September 9, 2025. A legal notice has been served on the channel and the anchor by advocate Akshat Bajpai on behalf of Mr. Shubham Sharma, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, who claims that the broadcast misrepresented an international political movement and defamed the Brahmin community at large.
The legal notice demands an unconditional public apology, withdrawal of the controversial programme from all digital platforms, and a clarification within seven days, failing which legal proceedings—both civil and criminal—have been threatened.
Background: Nepal’s “Gen Z Protests”
The controversy arises in the context of Nepal’s ongoing youth-led movement, popularly referred to as the “Gen Z Protests.” These demonstrations erupted in September 2025, driven primarily by students and young citizens across Nepal.
The protests were a direct reaction to:
- Rampant corruption among public officials.
- Lavish lifestyles of politicians’ families.
- Allegations of mismanagement of public funds.
- Economic frustration, including high youth unemployment rates (around 20%).
- Heavy dependence on remittances, which has left the economy fragile.
- Digital censorship, following the Nepal government’s order on September 4 to ban 26 social media platforms—including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn, Reddit, Signal, and Snapchat—for non-registration under new rules tied to a Digital Services Tax.
With Nepal’s median age being just 25 years, the protests quickly became a generational uprising. For many, the ban on social media—a critical space for communication, livelihood, and activism—was the tipping point. Observers noted that the heart of the movement was about governance, transparency, employment, and freedom of expression.
The Controversial Broadcast
On September 9, during ABP News’ popular evening show “Bharat Ki Baat”, anchor Ms. Pratima Mishra reportedly remarked:
“This is not merely about corruption or censorship. It is a revolt against Brahmanical hegemony.”
According to the legal notice, this statement mischaracterised the Nepal protests by ascribing them to caste-based oppression, a theme that protestors themselves had neither articulated nor endorsed.
The notice alleges that the anchor’s framing amounted to “grossly misleading reporting” and injected a communal and casteist angle into what was otherwise a socio-political and economic movement.
Allegations in the Legal Notice
Mr. Shubham Sharma, the complainant, claims to be deeply aggrieved by the telecast. Through his counsel, he has accused ABP News and Ms. Mishra of:
- Defamation: By portraying Brahmins as oppressors, the programme allegedly tarnished the reputation of the entire community and subjected them to public ridicule.
- Promotion of Enmity: The notice cites Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which criminalises promotion of enmity between groups on the basis of religion, caste, or community.
- Incitement: It further refers to Section 353 of BNS, 2023, which penalises the publication of statements, rumours, or reports with intent to cause fear, alarm, or hatred against a section of society.
- Violation of Press Council Norms: The Press Council of India mandates accuracy, impartiality, and restraint in reporting. The complainant argues that the ABP telecast violated these principles by sensationalising the issue.
- Breach of NDBA Code of Ethics: The News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NDBA) requires members to ensure factual, neutral, and prejudice-free reporting. The notice states that ABP News failed this obligation by communalising a foreign protest.
- Suppression of Dissent: The complainant has also accused ABP News of misusing copyright rules to report and lock accounts of individuals who criticised the channel’s telecast on social media, including Mr. Sharma’s own X (Twitter) account.
Public Reactions: #BoycottABPNews Trends
The remark quickly snowballed into a social media storm. The hashtag #BoycottABPNews trended at the top for several days on X, with thousands of users demanding accountability.
Many members of the Brahmin community took offence, calling the remark an “unprovoked vilification of an entire community.” Some commentators argued that the media should refrain from importing caste-based narratives into international movements where such dimensions were not present.
Others, however, defended the anchor’s right to interpret events, saying that media often analyses protests through broader socio-cultural lenses. Yet, critics countered that analysis must not come at the cost of accuracy.
Legal and Regulatory Implications
If ABP News fails to respond satisfactorily within seven days, the complainant has threatened to initiate proceedings before; civil courts for defamation and damages, criminal courts under relevant provisions of the BNS, 2023, Press Council of India for violation of journalistic ethics and News Broadcasters & Digital Association (NDBA) for breach of its Code of Ethics. Legal experts suggest that if pursued, the matter could test the boundaries of free speech and journalistic liberty versus community sensitivities under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
As of now, ABP News has not issued a formal response to the notice.
