New Delhi: Times of India group’s Radio MirchiFM radio station has apologised for airing the #MatAaoIndia creative that “discourages foreign tourists from visiting India.
The Campaign was launched after the attack on Swiss tourists in FatehpurSikri. The tone of the Radio Mirchi #MatAaoIndia campaign was in sharp contrast to the previous campaign in which Aamir Khan urged better treatment of foreign tourists.
The campaign, which was in Hindi said:
- See the sea at Goa, and the tourists being harassed,
- See your Russian guest, and her molestation too,
- See the splendour of Fatehpur, and the couples being troubled there,
- See the respect we have for love, see the splendour of new India
- See the morality of death, see the way we insult guests
- Coming to India is injurious to health
- Guests are not gods. Do not come to India.
The campaign was taken down after a flood of criticism on social media; some users branded the radio station ‘anti-national’ the new buzzword and advised followers to “unfollow” the station on Facebook and Twitter.
The Campaign has attracted the ire of the Union information and broadcasting ministry.The ministry said that the campaign violated the All-India Radio programme and advertisement code. The notice was served on 27th October and the FM station has been given 15 days to respond as to why it should not be penalised.
“It was brought to the ministry’s notice that the radio channel was discouraging foreign tou-rists from visiting India through their broadcast,” the notice said.
“The content in question is defamatory and violated the AIR (All-India Radio) code,” it said.
Radio Mirchi has also been sent a verbatim transcript of the campaign, sources added.
Radio Mirchi has been asked to furnish its reply within 15 days of receiving the notice, failing which the ministry would be constrained to initiate action, sources stated. Radio Mirchi posted an apology on the micro blogging website Twitter.
“Radio Mirchi apologises for the creative it ran about the tourist incident. Our intention was not to hurt the sentiments of people. We are deeply sorry. We have removed the creative,” the apology stated.
