TV channels talk big and then touch govt's feet: Dasmunsi

New Delhi, Aug 26: Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi has hit out at TV channels, saying they talk big in the morning and touch the government's "knees in the night".

Possibly referring to the Lalu Yadav-Prabhunath Singh Yadav episode on the penultimate day of Parliament, he said channels should not be under the impression that they were more responsible.

''I feel sometimes you media people do much more than what you see in Parliament. You speak rubbish one day and then apologise to the government,'' he said in an interview to 'Devil's Advocate programme of the CNN-IBN to be broadcast on Sunday night at 2030 hrs.

He said, ''I know channels which come in the night to touch the knees and in the morning they talk big.'' ''So please try to understand that this behaviour is not only in Parliament but in channels too,'' said the Minister and advised Parliamentarians and mediaperosns both to restrain themselves.

He asserted the government has the right to prescribe guidelines and norms to evaluate broadcasting content.

Mr Dasmunsi's interview was recorded on Thursday shortly after the Lok Sabha was witness to unprecedented scenes when RJD and JD(U) members virtually came to blows and the traget of the attack JD(U) Member Prabhunath Singh tendered his resignation to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.

The provocation for RJD members came when during the Zero Hour Prabhunath Singh charged the Congress-led UPA government with interfering in Bihar and alleged that a relative of Mr Lalu Prasad was involved in a rape case.

UNI

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