National

'Media should show restraint'

New Delhi Feb. 12. The Information and Broadcasting Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad, today cautioned television channels and entertainment industry that the Government may have to ``regulate'' contents if they did not exercise ``self-restraint''.

``I am not for moral policing but one must not be insensitive to our Indian culture. Why should MTV lampoon Mahatma Gandhi and then apologise when we object? In this country, we revere Gandhi as the Mahatma. The MTV's caricature was in very poor taste,'' Mr. Prasad said, addressing an Entertainment Industry Roundtable, organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry here.

While ruling out banning the MTV, the Minister emphasised the need for restraint.

``Why should riots be shown live on television? Riots are not news, they are a curse. The print media does not mention the rioting communities by name. Take another example of the Akashardham temple siege. Why do we have to say when commandos are entering the temple. I would say exercise self-control otherwise we will have to regulate,'' he added.

But he did not elaborate on how the Government would ``regulate'' contents.

— PTI

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