Batting for the live telecast on Doordarshan of RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat’s controversial address on Dussehra, union minister for information and broadcasting Prakash Javdekar on Sunday said the government wants to instill professionalism.
The hour-long broadcast on 3 October by DD for the first time of an RSS function had caused a major row when the Congress and the CPI(M) attacked the Modi government for ‘misuse’ of the state broadcaster. However, the ruling BJP defended it saying RSS genuinely ‘contributed to patriotism’ and always patronised ‘justice to all’ philosophy.
‘Doordarshan is an autonomous organisation and we want to instill professionalism. Therefore, there is nothing wrong and no interference in its functioning,’ Javdekar said in reply to a question at a press conference here on Sunday. Dismissing criticism by the Congress and Left parties over the issue, he said, ‘We have lifted ban on DD.’ Javadekar asked as to why it was not telecast live all these years.
‘When other private channels are also showing live the annual speech of RSS Sarsanghchalak Bhagwat, what is wrong in DD also showing it,’ he said.
Bhagwat had at a customary function on Dussehra described Hindutva as the country’s ‘national identity’ and the ‘thread of unity’ running through its diversities. He had also patted the Narendra Modi government for initiatives on national security, economy and international relations in a short period of four months.