FM channels are not limited to the adult world but are listened to by the children and teenagers as well. Making them listen to such content is subjecting them to obscenity and violence.
When Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha Jaya Bachchan rose to speak, she had a very simple looking issue at hand. She wanted the government to take notice of the FM radio jockey’s making fun of the MPs. She said that the RJs of private channels mimicked MPs and that was sending a wrong message across.
Well, after listening to Mrs Bachchan’s brief complaint, anybody would dismiss it as nonsense.
Is making fun a crime in India?
Then what about comedians mimicking or making fun of MPs?
Should we jail them all?
And why can’t the MPs take a bit of criticism? Why can’t they be a sport?
The janta on social media reacted in a similar manner saying that there was a dearth of issues for Mrs Bachchan:
Jaya Bacchan assessed the problems in India like farmer suicides, land ownership etc & then decided that MPs are the 1st ones who need help
— IndiaSpeaks (@IndiaSpeaksPR) August 14, 2014
@BabaBakChod @chetan_bhugat RJ – Jiski biwi Chotti , uska bhi bada naam hai from Lawaris JB – U r making fun of me , Arrest him
— Jolly Bravo (@Spicyanshul) August 14, 2014
Jaya ji, dekho wo raha RJ jo aap pe jokes bana raha tha.. chaliye, pakad ke thaane le chalte hain.. pic.twitter.com/kI7TE5jtlY
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) August 14, 2014
RJ1-Rahul Gandhi is Intelligent, smart, his political outlook is best in India *RJ1 Jailed* RJ1-Judge Saab mein sach mein Rahulji ka Fan hoo
— ROFL India (@ROFL_India) August 14, 2014
If we don’t get to mock MPs, then MPs no longer get to do ridiculous shit in the name of protecting “the common man”. Deal?
— Rohan Joshi (@mojorojo) August 14, 2014
@coolfunnytshirt RJ: Aaj studio mein thand hai… Maine topi air muffler pehni hai *Jailed*
— Sanket Shirsekar (@ShirsekarSanket) August 14, 2014
@BolshoyBooze RJ Stays Silent, Gets Arrested for Mimicking MMS
— Priyam पाणà¥à¤¡à¥‡à¤¯ (@SecularTrainee) August 14, 2014
But, on a second thought, one will agree to what Mrs Bachchan said. She might not have been articulate in explaining the issue, and should have gone beyond the ‘MP’ problem, but her allegation was a true one.
Listening to the radio was almost an extinct activity which was given a lifer by the advent of FM radio channels. Tuning to the radio then became an excuse to wander in the world where you were comfortable with the melodies in the background and a voice to make you laugh.
Of late, the quality of the content at the radio channels has deteriorated.
There are special shows recorded by the radio channels where a caller is unnecessarily harassed by the RJ.
The receiver of the phone call by RJs imposing as someone else incessantly rants vulgar words and slangs which are smartly bleeped by the radio channel. However, one can easily figure out what words were poured out by the holy mouth of the receivers. And how can it be an idea of fun? How can the radio channels and RJs think that it will invoke laughter at the side of the listener?
MPs are representatives of people. They are in the parliament due to their hard work and support of the public. Agreed they may digress sometimes. And to mimic MPs and making fun of them when they digress is no crime. But the real allegation is that they indulge into ‘double meaning’ jokes.
FM channels are not limited to the adult world but are listened to by the children and teenagers as well. Making them listen to such content is subjecting them to obscenity and violence. The reason should follow from the Indian law which was given as an argument against the Amir Khan’s semi nude PK poster.
According to Indian law, “showing pictures, cartoons or posters of nude or semi-nude individuals” constitues sexual harassment. Amir Khan’s full page ad in all newspapers, of his forthcoming film ‘PK’, in which he is posing in the nude also amounts to forcing people (men, women and children) in every household to see nudity.
So how different is hearing such ‘double meaning’ jokes and full-of-obscene-words radio show?
There is a line of respect, which should not be crossed.