New Delhi: DD News, the flagship channel of India’s national broadcaster Doordarshan, has the red colour in its iconic logo replaced with saffron, The News Minute reported.
Coming into effect on April 16, DD news reportedly said their values remain the same even in the new avatar.
Saffron, though part of the national tricolor, is also used by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), according to the report.
“Get ready for a news journey like never before.. Experience the all-new DD News. We have the courage to put: Accuracy over speed, facts over claims, Truth over sensationalism. Because if it is on DD News, it is the truth,” DD news said in a social media post.
Many raised criticism against the development, questioning the timing of the change when Ram Navam is just round the corner.
The BJP in the past accused Doordarshan of being pro-government channel not giving space for the Opposition.
During the 2014 polls the BJP accused Doordarshan of censorship over an edited interview of PM Modi.
Back then Modi himself reportedly tweeted, saying: “I feel very sad to see our national TV channel struggling to maintain its professional freedom.”
Manish Tewari, former Minister of Information and Broadcasting, responded stating that DD’s autonomy and editorial decisions were guaranteed by Parliament.
Things began to change after the BJP government came to power, according to the report.
Adding further, it said in 2015 the assistant director of Doordarshan was transferred to Andaman after the national broadcaster’s Gujarati channel aired a report on PM Modi’s wife, Jashodaben.
In 2018, Doordarshan telecasted a BJP event where Home Minister Amit Shah was reportedly seen unfurling the national flag at the BJP headquarters in Delhi.
As per guidelines, DD and All India Radio can carry out live coverage only of government events, not any political parties’.
Doordarshan has not given this benefit to any other political party including the Congress.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman raised protest in the same year when Doordarshan turned on advertisement during Tyagaraja Aradhana, the musical event held in honour of Telugu composer Tyagaraja.
“Yo @DDNational what! You couldn’t wait for a few moments more for the Pancharatna Krithi-s to be completed. Advertisement and more. #Aradhana #Tyagaraja. Thoughtless, insensitive. (sic)” she was quoted as saying.
Most recently, Doordarshan received criticism after it decided to telecast the controversial movie ‘The Kerala Story’ on April 5, inviting criticism.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked Doordarshan not to be a puppet that dances to the communal agenda of Sangh Parivar.