In June, music channels faced a lot of music. There as a court case, and there was a diktat from the information and broadcasting ministry asking these channels to apologise (yes, apologise) for telecasting "obscene" music videos. The same month, writer Sunil Gangopadhyay managed to escape for allusions to fantasising about a Hindu goddess.
Music channels asked to apologise for obscene videos
June 11, 2006: The Union Government asked six channels, including music channels MTV and Channel V, to apologise for telecasting "objectionable videos" or be ready to be pulled off air. "A personal hearing had been given to the channels and after that it was decided that the channels should apologise on air, through a scroll, for three days beginning June 16," an official of information and broadcasting ministry said. Apart from MTV and Channel V, other channels facing the heat are ITV, B4U, MH1 and ETC. In the scroll, the channels will have to say, "The information and broadcasting ministry issues a warning to the music channel for violating programme code. This TV channel assures to be more careful in future."[Link]
HC saves Star TV from 'obscene' attack
June 15, 2006: The Delhi High Court restrained the Centre for two weeks from taking any coercive action against Star India's Channel V, accused of telecasting obscene music albums in violation of the Cable Network Regulation Act. Vacation Judge, Justice A K Sikri, asked Star India Limited which owns the music channel to furnish the information and broadcasting ministry the impugned album and other relevant evidence to prove that the song was granted 'U' certification by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).[Link]
Calcutta HC quashes case against writer Sunil Gangopadhyay
June 19, 2006: The Calcutta High Court quashed a criminal case against writer Sunil Gangopadhyay filed against him by a retired IPS officer for alleged obscene references to Hindu goddess of learning Saraswati. Justice S P Talukdar quashed the criminal proceedings against Gangopadhyay as the mandatory sanction from the state government for filing a case for hurting religious sentiments was not taken by complainant Bibhuti Bhusan Nandi. Gangopadhyay had allegedly written about his adolescent fantasies on Goddess Saraswati in his novel Ardhek Jibon. [Link]
