NEW DELHI: A controversy broke out yesterday over the live telecast by state broadcaster of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s address at Nagpur with Congress and Left parties slamming the “misuse” of Doordarshan but BJP defended it.
Defending the telecast, BJP’s Shaina N C said the RSS is only a nationalist organisation which believes in ‘India first’ and the country above the interest of any individual.
“I am glad that this speech has been highlighted and people realize that if there is one cadre in the country today that has genuinely contributed to patriotism and nation-building, it is the RSS,” she said.
Condemning DD’s decision to broadcast RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s speech live, political parties attacked the Narendra Modi government for “misusing” the public broadcaster.
The live telecast came in for sharp criticism from the opposition with Congress spokesman Sandeep Dikshit saying it is a “dangerous tradition” as RSS is a controversial religious and political organisation.
Attacking the government a senior Congress leader said that, “It’s influence over the media is worrying.” “DD is run by public money. So how is government using it to broadcast RSS chief’s speech? Very unfortunate,” said Rashid Alvi of the Congress.
Left parties also slammed DD’s decision to broadcast Bhagwat’s speech. “The RSS uses the occasion to propagate its Hindutva ideology. The national public broadcaster has no business to telecast live the speech of the chief of an organisation like the RSS,” the CPM politburo said in a statement.
“Such an action shows how the public broadcaster is being misused by the Modi government,” the party said, while condemning Doordarshan’s decision to telecast live Bhagwat’s speech on the occasion of Vijayadashami
Bhagwat patted Prime Minister Narendra Modi government saying it was “moving in the right direction” since taking office in May. “It is necessary that policies of the government should take the nation towards self reliance and encourage entrepreneurship among the people,” he said in an hour-long speech in Hindi near the RSS headquarters.
“But it is equally important for the people to encourage consumption of Swadeshi products.
He voiced concern over “jihadi activities” in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the infiltration of Bangladeshis into West Bengal and Assam as well as the activities of Maoists.
Without referring to minorities, Bhagwat told people to remember that “each member of my great Hindu society and each son and daughter of Mother Bharat is my own brother and sister”.
Agencies
