Radio Mirchi, a Delhi based FM radio station has been served a show-cause notice by the government for its campaign, where it asked foreign tourists not to visit India.
Earlier today, we had reported how a twitter troll named Akash Bannerjee, who is also the vice-president of Radio Mirchi had shared a video under the FM station’s brand name, which urged foreign tourists to not visit India. This absurd campaign was in response to a horrific attack on Swiss tourists in Agra.
Soon, people were aghast at the decision of the radio station to degrade and defame the entire nation based on the actions of a few criminals, all five of whom have been arrested.
As a result of sustained pressure mounted by the netizens, Radio Mirchi was forced to apologise for the video:
— RadioMirchi (@RadioMirchi) October 27, 2017
People though still continued to be angry at the radio station and felt that an apology wasn’t enough:
It’s not about hurting our sentiments. Its about a) damaging India’s tourist potential b) your boundless stupidity that is annoying people. https://t.co/JkqGNhJC9y
— Amar Govindarajan (@amargov) October 27, 2017
This organization still employs the monkey which went about defaming the whole country to foreign entities
Apology is not enough https://t.co/w3kwYS2xLu— FoolishOfficer (@IndiaSpeaksPR) October 27, 2017
Now as per exclusive information accessed by OpIndia, the Smriti Irani led Information & Broadcasting ministry has decided to step into the matter and has sent a show-cause notice to the FM station. We managed to access a copy of this notice:
As seen in the image above, the notice dated today reminds the radio station of the Grant of permission Agreement (GOPA) it signed, which requires operating, establishing and maintaining its terms and conditions. It later stated how, it was brought to the ministry’s notice that the radio channel was discouraging foreign tourists from visiting India through their broadcast.
The notice finally states that the content in question is defamatory and violated the AIR (All India Radio) code. Therefore via the GOPA Phase-III provisions, the channel has been asked to show cause as to why penal action shouldn’t be taken against it. The radio channel has been asked to furnish its reply within 15 days of receiving the notice, failing which the ministry would be constrained to initiate action.
It should be noted that earlier in 2007, the UPA government had banned an FM station for a week for airing content that was seen as demeaning to a section of the society. Radio Mirchi in effect had demeaned the entire nation.
This isn’t the only time the I&B ministry has taken such a prompt action following complaints by common citizens.
Ever since Smriti Irani has taken charge of the I&B ministry, it has started to take media houses which spread fake or malicious news to task. We had reported in the past how Irani herself slammed PTI not once but twice for spreading fake news and posting a derogatory tweet respectively.
Later it was reported how The Hindu was issued a show cause notice by the press council for its fake Elphinstone molestation story. This notice was issued reportedly as the result of the I&B ministry having expressed their displeasure at the whole turn of events which they later conveyed to the Press Council of India. Yesterday only we had reported that ministry was active again and was planning to make NDTV India go off air for 15 days for compromising national security.
