By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai
CHENNAI, 31 August (asiantribune.com): A Public Interest Litigation Petition (PIL) seeking direction to the Central government to regulate and prohibit the transmission or retransmission of obscenity, violent, vulgar telecasts and exhibition of indecent dramas, serials, dances and advertisements by private channels, was filed in the Madras High Court today.
The Court ordered notice to Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, Prashar Bharati Nigam Ltd and Central Board of Film Certification, when the PIL came before the First Bench of Chief Justice H L Gokhale and Mr Justice D Murugesan, and directed the respondents to file their counter on or before October 5.
Stating the TV was an indispensable feature for everyone, irrespective of age, the petitioners Rev. Father Pancras M Raja and three others contended that present-day youth and children áre being exposed to “mind pollution” by the television programmes, advertisements telecast by the Satellite Cable TV Networks. “'Mind pollution' was worse than all other types of pollution.”
The petitioners claimed that psychologists all over the world have been cautioning that exposure to media violence and sex had a damaging effect on children, minors and youth. The parents are worried and feel helpless and are frustrated that their right to bring up their children a “mind pollution” free atmosphere is being snatched away.
The PIL also said the right to freedom of TV, however, is a valuable right but the right should go with it the responsibility; the duty to protect the rights of others should not be given a go-by. The PIL added there were over 290 private TV channels in the country, and the damage is so much.
The petitioners submitted and sought order to restrain repeated telecast of events which terrified viewers like the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai and the February 19 last police-advocates clash in the Madras High Court premises.
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