MP Ramgopal Yadav seeks ban on 'vulgar' advertisements

"Vulgar" advertisements and wardrobe malfunctioning of models wearing undergarments shown on TV are among things that create a psychological impact on youth leading to crime against women, senior Samajwadi Party MP Ramgopal Yadav said on Wednesday, as he demanded a ban on showing "nudity and obscenity" in media.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Rajya Sabha, Yadav said the country is "moving fast towards a moral crisis" and a "serious situation" has arisen, as there is a rise in vulgar and obsecene advertisements in print and electronic media.

Expressing concern over increase of vulgarity in advertisements in media, he said it is difficult to watch news on TV that during advertisement breaks, such advertisements appear. "You cannot even watch news with family," he said.

Quoting Arnold J Toynbee's multi-volume 'A Study of History', he said the renowned historian had identified nudity and alcoholism as two major reasons for the disintegration of any civilization and these two factors are present in India.

"Unfortunately, we all are responsible. We have legalised Section 377 (gay sex) and Section 497 (adultery). We had opposed it then. It is against our culture. Nudity has spread so much that one gets to see wardrobe malfunctioning of models wearing undergarments while walking on ramps. It is all deliberate," he said.

"This is also one of the reasons that creates psychological impact and is leading to crime against women and girls. There is a need to curb it...You (BJP) promised to abolish Article 370 (of Constitution) but what you did was remove (Section) 377 (of Indian Penal Code)," Yadav said. Minister of Information and Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar assured that action has already been taken in several cases and more stringent action will be taken.

Article 370 of Constitution provides special status for Jammu and Kashmir and one of BJP's core promise is the abrogation of this provision. Section 377 of IPC was decriminalised by the Supreme Court after a prolonged legal fight.