An upset Indian government yesterday served a legal notice to BBC after the channel ignored its advice and broadcast the controversial interview of Delhi gang-rape convict even as it asked video sharing website YouTube to remove the documentary as it is “very sensitive.”
“Yes we had informed all channels that the documentary must not be released. But BBC has broadcast it in London. (Now) whatever action we have to take, the home ministry will go ahead and do that,” home minister Rajnath Singh told reporters here earlier when asked about the airing of the programme on Wednesday night.
“We had requested BBC not to telecast the documentary but BBC said that it’s an independent organisation and will go ahead with the telecast,” he added,
Asked what the government could do, Singh said, “I would not like to make any comment at this moment. All I can say is that whatever is required, will be done. If conditions have been violated, if they have been violated, there will be appropriate action,” PTI reported.
To another query, the minister said, “You keep watching, I have talked to the I&B ministry and have also written to the external affairs ministry. Proceedings are taking place.”
Meanwhile, communications and IT ministry told Youtube that the issue is “very sensitive” and it should review its position on the matter, and remove it from the website.
When contacted, a YouTube spokesperson said: “While we believe that access to information is the foundation of a free society and that services like YouTube help people express themselves and share different points of view, we continue to remove content that is illegal or violates our community guidelines, once notified.”
BBC aired the documentary, containing the controversial interview of a convict in the December 16,2012 gang rape despite a Delhi court prohibiting it.
BBC yesterday conveyed to the government that it has no plans to telecast the film in India in compliance with the directive.
Asked as to who was to blame for allowing shooting of the documentary, the home minister said, “there has been no failure on the part of the government.”