NEW DELHI: A Gujarati television news channel, GSTV , has been issued a show-cause notice by the information & broadcasting (I&B) ministry and may get suspended for what the ministry considers to be objectionable programme content aimed at a leader holding an "esteemed office". The information & broadcasting ministry’s notice, which ET has reviewed, does not name the leader. But this is what the notice says, among other things: "…the channel says this leader initiated the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, but does he actually believe in Gandhian ideology or is he just using his name to earn respect".Comparing the lifestyle of Mahatma Gandhi and the leader, the channel states that "Gandhiji always lived a simple life, whereas he wears a suit worth Rs 9 lakh and moves in expensive cars".The notice also says: "While the channel has every right to question the conduct of a political leader, the way it has criticised him in the news item seems a deliberate attempt to malign his reputation which is repugnant of the esteemed office he holds."GSTV is a news channel run by the same group that owns Gujarat Samachar, a prominent vernacular daily in the state.The ministry’s notice was provoked by a GSTV programme aired on January 30 this year. 'Gandhi Hatya Koni Jawabdari ' (Who is responsible for Gandhi's death) was aired on Mahatma Gandhi's 67th death anniversary.The 30-minute programme criticised attempts by some fringe Hindu groups to build a temple for Nathuram Godse . Blaming the government for not stopping the glorification of Godse, the news show, without mentioning any name, said Gandhi's thoughts cannot be taken forward by wearing expensive suits or by waving brooms in the air. ET has reviewed the script of the programme.The I&B notice also says: "The channel questions an individual who is a political leader by saying that he praises Mahatma Gandhi in several forums but doesn't take any stern action against those glorifying Godse.""It has been observed that such comments aired by the channel in the said programme are not only bound to sully the image of the individual but may also potentially incite violent tendencies which may not be conducive to law and order situation," the notice further says.GSTV was given a week to respond after I&B issued the notice on February 2. In its reply, GSTV denied having violated the programme code and said the show-cause notice completely overlooked their right to free speech and expression that is enshrined in the Constitution."Our programme is in larger public interest. It raises serious issue about the attempts made by some to displace Mahatma's message by speaking about his murderer Godse and by attempting to give him a larger-than-life image. Such attempts are clearly aimed not just at lowering the image of Mahatma but also to justify violence, create a divide in the society. One has to look at the programme objectively, to understand the underlying message," the reply said.Following this, in June, the matter was sent for review to an inter-ministerial committee — comprising bureaucrats and invited 'experts' — and GSTV was asked to present a verbal explanation on June 24.The panel had six participants and is yet to decide on the period of suspension for the channel — this can range from 10 days to 60 days. I&B officials said the issue was being discussed at senior levels in the government and that a decision will be taken soon Gujarat Samachar co-owner and GSTV Director Shreyans Shah confirmed to ET the channel has received the show-cause notice. "We are waiting to be told about the result of the inquiry by the committee. Even if they suspend us, we are clear we did nothing wrong. We were only trying to say the glorification of Godse should be strictly checked. The actual murderers of Gandhi are people who don't understand him. We have not taken names and we respect the heads of the country. But aren't we allowed to express our opinion?" Shah told ET.