Bengaluru: The Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) has lodged a complaint with the Bengaluru Assistant Commissioner of Police against Asianet Suvarna News and its anchor, Ajit Hanumakkanavar, accusing them of spreading communal hatred.

APCR General Secretary Mohammed Niyaz submitted a memorandum to the Assistant Commissioner of Police in RT Nagar, alleging that during a broadcast on May 9, 2024, Ajit Hanumakkanavar used the Indian flag to represent the Hindu population and the Pakistani flag to represent Muslims. This program was aired on television and on the channel's YouTube platform.

According to the complaint, the program discussed the Population Report released by the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (EAC-PM), which claims that the share of Hindus in India has decreased by 7.8% between 1950 and 2015. Niyaz, a high court lawyer, argued that Hanumakkanavar's use of national flags as metaphors for religious communities was not only misleading but also fostered fear among viewers about the changing demographics in India compared to other countries where Muslim populations are lower.

Niyaz urged the Assistant Commissioner to take legal action against both the channel and the anchor, arguing that the tone and tenor of the program were designed to incite fear and promote divisiveness based on religious identities.