Radio jockeys should respect MPs: Jaya Bachchan

Parliamentarian Jaya Bachchan Thursday raised the issue of radio jockeys of private FM channels mimicking MPs and said their "objectionable" language was not "palatable".

Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar assured action.

Raising the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Bachchan said the jockeys should make sure that their language and content does not mock the country's leaders.

"The jockeys should ensure their language and content is not objectionable. Those of us who are sitting inside the house should be respected. This mimicking and making fun of leaders is not correct," she said.

"I am not against satire but I am objecting to their language... it is not palatable to me," she added.

Javadekar said the issue was "serious" and the government was looking into the matter and considering taking action on it.

"What you (Bachchan) said is absolutely serious and we have an electronic media monitoring centre which is studying these reports. We are contemplating necessary action that should be taken," he said.

"This is an increasing trend which is not right," he added.

However, Minority Affairs Minister Najma A. Heptulla did not think much of Bachchan's objection and said people should learn to laugh at themselves.

"Humour cannot be acquired, it is inborn. One should be able to laugh at oneself. It shows that the person is confident," she said.

Agreed Congress leader Manish Tewari who said: "Those in public life should have a skin thick enough to take a ribbing. If at all the RJs are doing something which entertains their audience, so be it."