Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Clarifying on the issue of objections raised by MPs to radio jockeys (RJs) making fun of the lawmakers, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said on Thursday that it was fine if people make fun of them.
The minister posted on the micro-blogging site Twitter - “I never said we object to mimicry on MPs. Anybody can Mimic us. People can make fun; we never mind.”
I never said we object to mimicry on MPs. Anybody can Mimic us. People can make fun; we never mind. 1/2
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) August 14, 2014
In another post he said - “Today Jaya ji and other MPs raised objections on vulgarity and double meaning jokes by RJs. I said we ll look into it.”
Today Jayaji and other MPs raised objections on vulgarity & double meaning jokes by RJs. I said "we ll look into it". #RajyaSabha 2/2
— Prakash Javadekar (@PrakashJavdekar) August 14, 2014
Several MPs today voiced objections to RJs making cracking crude jokes on them, prompting the government to say that it would look into the matter.
The issue was raised by actress-turned-politician Jaya Bachchan in the Rajya Sabha.
"They (comments) are absolutely objectionable, very bad and the latest thing is that they have started giving news of Parliament and they mimic a lot of MPs who have spoken," she said.
Asking whether Javadekar was aware of language used and jokes made by RJs, she said, "So, are you going to do something about it because this is really not palatable?"
Tarun Vijay (BJP) and Satish Chandra Misra (BSP) associated with the views of Jaya Bachchan, PTI reported.
Outside Parliament, noted lyricist and Rajya Sabha MP Javed Akhtar said one should not be extra sensitive as long as it was not vulgar. He, however, said that things should also not cross the level of decency.
Asked for his reaction on RJs mimicking Parliamentarians, he said, "As long as it is not vulgar, it is not crude, it is not insulting anybody, one should not be extra sensitive about this thing. If it is funny, if it is in good humour then one should laugh it off."
Javadekar termed the issue as "serious" and said there were complaints of private channel RJs using "double meaning" talks.
"... Regarding commentary, what she (Bachchan) has said is absolutely serious and and we have an Electronic Media Monitoring Centre, which is monitoring this. We are contemplating how to rectify this rising trend after monitoring the reports at the earliest," he said.
With PTI inputs
