Javdekar defends Doordarshan telecast of RSS chief's address on Oct 3

Defending the live telecast by Doordarshan of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat's address on Dussehra, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar on Sunday said the government wants to instill professionalism.

The hour-long broadcast on October 3 by DD for the first time of an RSS function had stoked a row with Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist attacking the government for "misuse" of the state broadcaster while the Bharatiya Janata Party defended it saying the 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.

Dismissing criticism by the Congress and Left parties over the issue, he said, "We have lifted the 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.

On the BJP's prospects in the October 15 Maharashtra assembly elections, he said the state will follow the national trend and his party will win with an absolute majority, but did not specify any numbers.

To a question on why the BJP was not projecting a chief ministerial nominee in the polls, when it had projected Narendra Modi as the prime ministerial candidate in Lok Sabha elections, Javdekar said there is no dearth of candidates and the leader will be chosen during a meeting of elected members of Legislative Assembly.