NEW DELHI / MUMBAI: Two Indian news channels IBN-7 and Sahara showing a controversial clip showing Mahatma Gandhi wielding an AK 47 and then doing a modern dance jig aired by a foreign website have earned the ire of the Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi.

The Minister has taken serious exception to the two channels trying to copy the website youtube.com to denigrate Mahatma Gandhi, ‘tantamounting to an assault to the dignity of the Father of the Nation’ according to a press release.

The Minister has directed the Ministry to give due cognizance to the matter and take necessary action as per law. The Minister wanted the channels to express profound apology to the nation by both the channels in their telecast during prime time today.

CHANNELS EXPRESS REGRET

Just hours after the minister's warning, both the channels went into damage control. "...our intention is not to denigrate the honour of our father of the nation, but to ensure action on the vulgar and cheap act which is available for public view on the website for quite some time," the Press Trust of India news agency quoted a spokesman for Sahara as saying.

Emphasising that the channel had "immense respect and affection" towards Gandhi, the channel said, "Even then if this news has hurt some of our brethren and countrymen, we from the core of our heart regret it."

Taking a similar tack, IBN 7 managing Editor Ashutosh said, "We are equally hurt and disturbed and share the outrage of fellow countrymen. We are clarifying our outrage over the incident to the viewers."