Members of the minority communities at a Press conference here on Wednesday urged the media to be sensitive to the religious sentiments.
Odisha Minority Forum president Dr Swarupananda Patra along with senior Muslim leaders apologised for the violence on Tuesday on the offices of Odia daily The Samaja in protest against publication of a wrong photo of Prophet Mohammed in the newspaper. He also felt sorry about the publication which has hurt the sentiments of the minority community on the Prophet’s birthday.
The minority leaders, including Haji Maulana Roshan Zameer, Haji Mohammed Shah Nawaz, Maulana Nooruddin, Haji Sadakat Sahab, Sheikh Javed Ilahi, Maulana Mohd Jabir Qasmi, Janab Mujahid Hussain, Janab Mushti Ashraf Ali and Maulana Imabulla, suggested that the media houses have content screening committees with representatives from their communities to give the final nod on any publication or broadcasting relating to their religious sacraments.
The leaders also stressed on the need for media houses to have in-house content writers with good knowledge on religious sacraments, religious taboos and procedures of the minority communities to prevent errors and biases while reporting.