In a recent development, renowned Indian TV journalist Sudhir Chaudhary finds himself in hot water as the Adivasi Sena in Jharkhand files a police complaint against him under the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989.
The controversy stems from Chaudhary's remarks on his primetime show 'Black and White' aired on 31 January.
The alleged casteist remarks were made in connection with the arrest of former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam. Chaudhary, during the show, questioned whether the Soren family, belonging to the SC/ST community, should be entitled to reservation or benefits under the SC/ST Act.
Shame on you Sudhir Chaudhary
— Ravi Ratan (@scribe_it) February 2, 2024
He should be arrested for mocking Adivasi community. #ArrestSudhirChaudhary
pic.twitter.com/ubMCq1R25D
In a particularly controversial statement, Chaudhary remarked, "Where will he spend tonight? He is accustomed to a lavish lifestyle. But today, in a way, it will be like going back by 20, 30, 40 years like an Adivasi to the jungle. It will be a tough night."
The comments drew swift condemnation on social media, with #ArrestSudhirChaudhury trending on X (formerly Twitter) for most of 2 February. This is not the first time Chaudhary has courted controversy; he was previously booked by the Kerala Police for spreading religious animosity during his tenure with Zee News.
According to a report, Chaudhary's remarks further implied that economically well-off members of the tribal community should not be entitled to reservation. The Adivasi Sena filed the police complaint seeking an FIR against Chaudhary, accusing him of making derogatory remarks about Soren and the SC/ST communities.
In response to the complaint, Chaudhary defended his statements, pointing out that Soren himself had filed a case against the Enforcement Directorate under the SC/ST Act after his arrest.
