Show cause to TV channels for showing Bhanwari Devi CD

New Delhi, Nov 12: Government has taken a serious note of the telecast of a CD purportedly showing nurse Bhanwari Devi and former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna in a compromising position and issued show cause notices to two news channels why action should not be taken against them.

Official sources said that the notices have been sent to news channels P7 and Sahara Samay who have also been directed not to repeat telecast of the same.

The charges against the two channels are showing content which is against good taste and decency, not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition, contains obscenity and is not meant for viewing by children.

The two channels have been given time till 4 pm on November 14 to show cause why action should not be taken against them. They can also present their case to an inter-ministerial committee at 4 pm on November 14 if they want.

"It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting that two television channels namely, P7 News and Sahara Samay, have shown a programme allegedly involving Ms Banwari Devi," the sources said on Friday night.

It is learnt that the show cause notice has been issued for violation of clauses 6(1)(a), 6(1)(b), 6(1)(o) and 6(5) of the programming code.

While 6(1)(a) states that the programme is against good taste and decency, 6(1)(b) refers to programme containing obscenity, 6(1)(o) on programme not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition and 6(5)on telecast of a programme not meant for children.

The ministry has directed the two channels to immediately stop telecast/ repeat telecast of the programme forthwith. It has also directed them to show cause why action should not be taken against them for "violation" of the above-mentioned provisions of the programme code.

PTI