Many television programmes indirectly promote violence and anti-social values, said women legislators who pushed for a government proposal to form a censor board-like panel.
“Many programmes on crime indirectly promote violence, and saas-bahu soaps promote extra martial affairs and anti-social values,” said Shiv Sena legislator Neelam Gorhe in the State Legislative Council on Friday.
“Shows like Sex and the City are so vulgar that they cannot be viewed with the family. Recently a news channel even celebrated Bikini Day, and they kept showing bikini-clad women on television through the day.”
This debate initiated by Gorhe resulted in Minister of State for Cultural Affairs Rana Jagjitsinh Patil announcing the government’s plan to set up an authority to monitor television channels.
He did not specify when the censor board-like panel would come into existence.
NCP legislator Usha Darade accused television channels of wrongly depicting of happenings in the society. She demanded that “a line be drawn on what was being shown on television”.
Gorhe also suggested that the state should have a vigilance committee and it should get a list of the television programmes a month in advance for scanning.