NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, APRIL 21
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief MK Stalin slammed the recent logo change of Doordarshan and said it was a ‘precusor’ to the BJP’s move to saffronise everything.
உலகப் பொதுமறை தந்த வள்ளுவருக்குக் காவிச்சாயம் பூசினார்கள்;
தமிழ்நாட்டின் ஆளுமைகளின் சிலைகள் மீது காவி பெயிண்ட் ஊற்றி அவமானப்படுத்தினார்கள்;
வானொலி என்ற தூய தமிழ்ப் பெயரை ஆகாஷவாணி என சமஸ்கிருதமயமாக்கினார்கள்;
பொதிகை என்ற அழகிய தமிழ்ச் சொல்லையும் நீக்கினார்கள்;
தற்போது… pic.twitter.com/o0JU8oEaYE
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) April 21, 2024
Criticising the move, Stalin tweeted, “They saffronised Thiruvalluvar; they insulted and defaced statues of Tamil Nadu’s stalwarts by pouring saffron paint; they Sanskritized and changed a pure Tamil word ‘Vannoli’ to ‘Akashvani’, and they also removed a beautiful Tamil word ‘Podhigai’.”
- It’s not Prasar Bharati anymore, it’s Prachar (publicity) Bharati!: Former Prasar Bharti Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and TMC MP Jawhar Sircar
- They saffronised Thiruvalluvar; they insulted and defaced statues of Tamil Nadu’s stalwarts by pouring saffron paint: DMK
Stalin said as highlighted during Lok Sabha poll campaigning, this was all a precursor to BJP’s move to saffronise everything. “The 2024 Lok Sabha election outcome will show the public rising up against such fascism,” Stalin asserted.
The logo of Doordarshan News was changed from red to saffron recently. The new logo is predominantly saffron in colour and has kicked up a row in the political circles. The Opposition termed it as “grossly illegal” and charged it reflects a “pro-BJP bias”.
On the new logo, the broadcaster said it was a mere change of “visual aesthetics” but the former Prasar Bharti Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and TMC MP Jawhar Sircar has questioned the need for effecting the change during Lok Sabha polls.
Since the Centre-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is recognised with the “orange colour”, also known as the “Saffron party”, therefore TMC MP has slammed DD’s logo as it’s a state-run channel.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Jawhar Sircar, who was also the CEO of Prasar Bharati between 2012 and 2014 said, “National broadcaster Doordarshan colours its historic flagship logo in saffron! As its ex-CEO, I have been watching its saffronisation with alarm and feel — it’s not Prasar Bharati anymore, it’s Prachar (publicity) Bharati!”
DD News unveiled the new logo on the X platform. The channel on Tuesday wrote, “While our values remain the same, we are now available in a new avatar. 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 – Bharosa Sach Ka,” it added.
In a report by Indian Express, officials said when Doordarshan was launched in 1959, it had a saffron logo. Later, its colours were changed to blue, yellow, and red. However, the two petals with a globe in the centre remained the same.
The channel’s logo also included the words “Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ but that was done away with in due course.
Last month, the Centre made it mandatory for Doordarshan news anchors to wear Khadi outfits.
