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Saturday, Jan 13, 2007
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Minister orders action against TV channels

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Taking serious exception to two Indian television channels — IBN 7 and Sahara — showing the website `youtube.com,' which had posted objectionable material pertaining to Mahatma Gandhi, Information & Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi on Friday ordered necessary action against the two networks.

He also asked them to issue an apology to the nation in their telecasts during prime time.

Showing the objectionable images denigrating Mahatma Gandhi was tantamount to an assault on the dignity of the Father of the Nation, the Minister said.

PTI reports:

The man who appeared in a video as Mahatma Gandhi performing a pole-dance and resorting to violence apologised for the offence he had caused to Indians but was evasive on whether he would withdraw the footage.

Hawaii-based non-resident Indian Gautham Prasad, who made the video to which the Indian Government took "serious exception" after they were aired on two TV channels, said, "I realise that this is a controversial subject. I take sole responsibility for any offence that I caused. I apologise and encourage people not to view the videos," he told NDTV.

Asked whether he would withdraw the video, Prasad said, "I have thought it over a lot and after giving careful consideration, I decided to release the video."

Noting that it was the "people's choice" to view them, he requested them to "respond properly."

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