'Sach ka Saamna' promoting infidelity: Baba Ramdev

New Delhi: Joining the corus of voices criticising the reality show 'Sach ka Saamna', yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Tuesday said there was no need to promote people who were "characterless".

"By giving the impression that promiscuous behaviour and infidelity was common, such programmes are promoting these tendencies. In reality, a majority of the people of our country are not the kind that appear on the show," he said.

He added, such programmes have negative psychological effects, particularly on children. "Don't we have anything else to show to viewers?" he sought to know.

Reality shows getting too personal?

Did you ever have an affair with a married man? host Rajeev Khandelwal shoots the question to a teary contestant in the reality show 'Sach Ka Saamna' while television's docile 'bahu' Shweta Tiwari shocks audiences by stripping to her bikini in 'Iss Jungle Se Mujhe Bachao'.

Welcome to the new age reality shows which compete with each other for the "meanest" tag and where nothing is personal anymore.

The latest trend in reality TV is that the shows are based on international formats and as the channels struggle to edge past in the war of TRPs, the new mantra of success is "the more provocative, the better".

'Sach Ka Saamna' the show which sparked the entire debate asks 21 questions of the contestants which probe into their personal histories, the answers to which are immediately verified by a polygraph test ruling out any scope for a lie.

It has irked a Delhi-resident so much that he went to the High Court here alleging that the show is "obscene and against Indian culture and ethos". The case has now been referred to a division bench and a hearing is scheduled for July 29.

The matter also caused a furore in Rajya Sabha with Kamal Akhtar of Samajwadi Party raising objection over the content saying obscene questions are asked by the anchor of the programme.
Last month Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni held a meeting with representatives of News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and Indian Broadcasting Federation (IBF) to discuss the issue of content code whose draft is on the ministry's website but yet to be finalised.

According to sources, the main trigger for the meeting was the television programme 'Sach Ka Saamna', however the main discussion centered on how to evolve a consensus between the ministry and broadcasters for firming up the content code.

Soni is understood to have told broadcasters at the meeting that the channel was sent a showcause notice after the reality show had created a storm in Rajya Sabha.