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DELHI: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry today issued a warning to Star
Plus for using language that was vulgar, indecent and against good taste and decency
in its programme ‘Sach Ka Saamna’ through the questions by presenter
Rajeev Khandelwal or the answers by the various personalities on the show.
The Ministry said the channel should keep Indian ethos and culture in mind
while formatting programmes, and enjoined upon it to strictly adhere to this guideline.
The
warning was issued under the Uplinking Guidelines, the terms and conditions of
the permission granted and the provisions of Section 20 of the Cable Television
Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995, asking the channel to strictly adhere to the
Programme Code prescribed under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act
1995 and Rules framed thereunder.
The Channel had earlier been issued a
show cause notice on 22 July for telecast/re-telecast of the programme on 17 July
and 21 July as the contents of the programme appeared vulgar, indecent and against
good taste and decency. It was observed that the anchor of the above programme
sought replies to questions regarding infidelity, incest and other subjects that
were not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition, especially keeping in view
the Indian ethos and culture.
The questions and replies followed by a
polygraph test, resulted in great embarrassment not only to the participants and
their families but also to the viewers watching the programme along with their
families. The questions appeared offending against good taste and decency; contained
obscene words, appeared to malign and slander segments of social, public and moral
life of the country and were not found suitable for unrestricted public exhibition. The
channel had replied on 27th July and 9th September and a personal hearing was
also granted to the channel on 8 September.
The Inter Ministerial Committee
(IMC) constituted by this Ministry to look into the complaints against violation
of Programme and Advertising Codes previewed the recording of the show and also
considered the reply submitted by the channel before coming to its conclusion.
It felt that the programmes were not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition.
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