I&B Ministry summons TV channel airing ‘Bigg Boss’

Mumbai: ‘Bigg Boss 4’ was aired at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, disregarding the government directive to shift the programme for screening after 11 p.m., prompting a furious I&B Ministry to summon the channel people for a meeting on Thursday.

A channel spokesman claimed that the channel had not received the I&B order during the day, possibly because it was a holiday. The Ministry has taken serious note of the “defiance” by the channel and have called them over for a meeting, a senior official said. The directive issued to the channel said: “It has been brought to the notice of this Ministry that the content of the reality show offends good taste and decency.” The decisions were taken at an inter-ministerial meeting attended by additional secretaries from the Ministries of Home, Women and Child Development, External Affairs and I&B on Monday. Numerous complaints have been made by viewers as well as the National Commission for Women and social activists who accused the two channels of showing explicit content. PTI