New Delhi: The Government has taken a serious view of two news channels telecasting objectionable video of a man dressed as Mahatma Gandhi and dashed off a show-cause notice to them, seeking an explanation by Monday. "We have sent show-cause notices to the two news channels and asked them to explain why the objectionable telecast was aired," an official source here said.

The source said the channels, which are yet to respond to the notice, have time till 12 p.m. on Monday to reply to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

The Government had expressed displeasure over airing of the footage, picked up from a website by IBN7 and Sahara news channels, with Information and Broadcasting Minister P.R. Dasmunsi saying it was tantamount to "an assault to the dignity of the Father of the Nation."

The source said the Government could pursue action against the channels if their replies were found unsatisfactory.

Express regret

The channels have expressed regret for their action, saying they aired the video just to expose how the Mahatma was being insulted and not to denigrate him.

"Our intention is not to denigrate the honour of Gandhiji but to ensure action on the vulgar and cheap act which is available for public view on the website for quite some time," said a Sahara spokesman.

Ashutosh, managing editor of IBN 7, said the channel's intention was to show how the Father of the Nation was being insulted. "We are equally hurt and disturbed and are clarifying our outrage over the incident to the viewers," he said.

Shocking: granddaughter

Mahatma Gandhi's granddaughter Tara Gandhi Bhatacharjee said in Chandigarh on Saturday that the objectionable telecast was ``shocking and unbelievable.''

``I cannot imagine the limits to which people can go in the name of making public laugh. Such dirty form of any kind of humour is not appropriate,'' she said.

Ms. Tara, who was here to attend a function, said she learnt about the video through the media. — PTI

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