DD's live telecast of RSS chief's speech draws flak

Like every year, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat made his customary Vijay Dashmi address in Nagpur. But this time, the hour-long address was telecast live on Doordarshan, sparking off a political row.

The Congress and the CPM accused the Narendra Modi government of misusing the public broadcaster. However, the government defended DD, saying it was a newsworthy event which was covered by several private television channels as well.

The RSS chief's annual address was never telecast live during the Vajpayee regime when the BJP was dependent on allies. Congress spokesman Sandeep Dikshit said it is a "dangerous tradition" as the RSS was a "controversial religious and political organisation."

Within minutes of the speech, the CPM politburo issued a statement. "The public broadcaster has no business to live-telecast the speech of the chief of an organisation like the RSS. It shows how the broadcaster is being misused by the Modi government," it said.

Historian and commentator Ramchandra Guha said this "naked state majoritarianism" must be resisted. "This (showing it live) is a dangerous misuse of the state machinery. The RSS is a sectarian Hindu body. Next, imams in mosques and priests in churches may ask that DD covers their speeches live," he said in his tweets.

The RSS is a sectarian Hindu body. Next, imams in mosques and priests in churches may ask that DD covers their speeches live!

— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) October 3, 2014

I&B minister Prakash Javadekar dismissed the criticism saying "Prasar Bharati took its own decisions and I don't know why they were not showing it earlier. It's a newsworthy event which other private news channels are showing, so why not DD?"