We don't need to poke fun at the Minister for Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi. He is well-nigh capable of doing it himself. The minister came up with ridiculous answers to the posers from Karan Thapar on CNN-IBN's Devil's Advocate. You wouldn't know whether to laugh or to cry.
In case you missed it, here are the highlights:
Karan Thapar: Minister, you are missing the point. I don’t deny that you have the power to ban, you do. But I’m asking you, how you interpret the words ‘good taste’ and ‘decency’?
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi: I feel proud of banning FTV for two months. I feel proud as an Indian, as a citizen conscious about the culture and the dignity of women. I feel proud of it.
Karan Thapar: But you are not answering my question. I’m asking you a simple question: how do you understand the words ‘good taste’, ‘morality’ and ‘dignity’? Define to me what do you mean by them?
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi: As you define or every citizen defines, what is right or wrong is not subscribed by any individual’s notion. It is supported by the law. Whenever a complaint comes from a viewer, it gets examined by the concerned desk. It is then put to the entire ministerial committee represented by five ministries…
Karan Thapar: No, minister. The problem is this: the words ‘taste’, ‘decency’ and ‘morality’ are highly subjective. Philosophers have quarreled over what they mean. I put it to you, what makes you believe the politicians and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in particular are the right people to define these words?
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi: This is the power given to me by the Parliament.
Karan Thapar: That’s the power to act under those, but not to define them.
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi: I do not like to compromise and I do not like to undermine the Indian society with all the women organisations, with the principals of the schools, the college principals, with the civic society and their sense and wisdom.
Karan Thapar: Tell me simply, what do you mean by ‘good taste’ and ‘decency’?
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi: Anything that affects the individual taste and moral attitude to the society.
Karan Thapar: When does taste becomes good, when does it becomes bad?
Priyaranjan Dasmunsi: When the committee feels it is bad, it is bad. If the committee feels it is not bad, it is not bad.
