TNN | May 4, 2014, 03.34 AM IST
Source: timesofindia
NEW DELHI: Prasar Bharati indicated that it might initiate a probe into the controversial editing of Narendra Modi's interview even as the BJP leader took a pot shot at the government saying he was saddened to see Doordarshan struggle to maintain its professional freedom.
Modi's dig saw information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari respond by expressing concern over the state of press freedom in Gujarat while reiterating that the ministry has an "arm's length" relationship with Prasar Bharati.
Meanwhile PB CEO Jawhar Sircar, after having suggested that Tewari failed to allow greater professional freedom to the national broadcaster, said that a decision on a formal inquiry will be taken on Monday.
"We will check papers on Monday and decide on a formal inquiry in to the Modi interview," Sircar said when asked if the public broadcaster was planning to initiate an inquiry.
If ordered, the inquiry would come in the wake of TOI reports that 20 minutes of a 56 minute Modi interview including references to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ahmed Patel were lopped off to avoid a political controversy.
The DD decision continued to generate political heat with BJP continuing its offensive against the government labeling the national broadcaster as "Prachar Bharati" of Congress while AAP said the broadcaster has no editorial independence irrespective of the government in office.
Using the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, Modi looked to score a few points expressing concern that public broadcaster Doordarshan is struggling to maintain its professional freedom. "We have witnessed the horrors of the emergency when freedom of press and freedom of expression were suppressed. It is a blot on our democracy. On days such as this, I feel very sad to see our national TV channel struggling to maintain its professional freedom," Modi tweeted.
Responding to the frontal attack, Tewari reiterated that Prasar Bharati was an autonomous organization adding, "We are concerned about press freedom in Gujarat. If you could recall correctly, then a journalist of an eminent publication was charged with sedition. He was barred from entering the state secretariat. There are various instances when journalists have complained about harassment and intimidation. Therefore, if the Gujarat Chief Minister is worried about press freedom, then I would like to remind that we are equally concerned about press freedom in Gujarat."
He said the autonomy of Prasar Bharti was guaranteed by an act of Parliament. "It is a board-run organization, and the I&B ministry has an arms-length relationship with Prasar Bharti," Tewari said adding that the it was on his initiative that the Sam Pitroda Committee was constituted to relook in to the government-pubcaster relationship.
On Prasar Bharti's CEO blaming DD News for editing Modi's interview, Tewari said, "DD News is a part of the Prasar Bharti. It is not a part of the I&B ministry."
In a letter to the board, Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar claimed the "shadow of government" on Doordarshan's credibility and said that Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari had been ignoring his requests for more autonomy.
Responding to the controversy AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said that whether it is BJP or Congress both do not want to grant autonomy to Prasar Bharti.
"Whatever the CEO of Prasar Bharti said is completely true; there is no autonomy to Prasar Bharti and it is being misused by the government. It is under the pressure of the government. There is nothing new to it. This has happened during Congress rule, and the truth is that when BJP's Pramod Mahajan used to be the Information and Broadcasting minister, then the situation was even worse. So whether the BJP or the Congress remains in power, both of them are not ready to give autonomy to Prasar Bharti; both don't want a free media and both want a bugle that plays their tunes, "he said.
Modi's dig saw information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari respond by expressing concern over the state of press freedom in Gujarat while reiterating that the ministry has an "arm's length" relationship with Prasar Bharati.
Meanwhile PB CEO Jawhar Sircar, after having suggested that Tewari failed to allow greater professional freedom to the national broadcaster, said that a decision on a formal inquiry will be taken on Monday.
"We will check papers on Monday and decide on a formal inquiry in to the Modi interview," Sircar said when asked if the public broadcaster was planning to initiate an inquiry.
If ordered, the inquiry would come in the wake of TOI reports that 20 minutes of a 56 minute Modi interview including references to Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Ahmed Patel were lopped off to avoid a political controversy.
The DD decision continued to generate political heat with BJP continuing its offensive against the government labeling the national broadcaster as "Prachar Bharati" of Congress while AAP said the broadcaster has no editorial independence irrespective of the government in office.
Using the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, Modi looked to score a few points expressing concern that public broadcaster Doordarshan is struggling to maintain its professional freedom. "We have witnessed the horrors of the emergency when freedom of press and freedom of expression were suppressed. It is a blot on our democracy. On days such as this, I feel very sad to see our national TV channel struggling to maintain its professional freedom," Modi tweeted.
Responding to the frontal attack, Tewari reiterated that Prasar Bharati was an autonomous organization adding, "We are concerned about press freedom in Gujarat. If you could recall correctly, then a journalist of an eminent publication was charged with sedition. He was barred from entering the state secretariat. There are various instances when journalists have complained about harassment and intimidation. Therefore, if the Gujarat Chief Minister is worried about press freedom, then I would like to remind that we are equally concerned about press freedom in Gujarat."
He said the autonomy of Prasar Bharti was guaranteed by an act of Parliament. "It is a board-run organization, and the I&B ministry has an arms-length relationship with Prasar Bharti," Tewari said adding that the it was on his initiative that the Sam Pitroda Committee was constituted to relook in to the government-pubcaster relationship.
On Prasar Bharti's CEO blaming DD News for editing Modi's interview, Tewari said, "DD News is a part of the Prasar Bharti. It is not a part of the I&B ministry."
In a letter to the board, Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar claimed the "shadow of government" on Doordarshan's credibility and said that Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari had been ignoring his requests for more autonomy.
Responding to the controversy AAP leader Yogendra Yadav said that whether it is BJP or Congress both do not want to grant autonomy to Prasar Bharti.
"Whatever the CEO of Prasar Bharti said is completely true; there is no autonomy to Prasar Bharti and it is being misused by the government. It is under the pressure of the government. There is nothing new to it. This has happened during Congress rule, and the truth is that when BJP's Pramod Mahajan used to be the Information and Broadcasting minister, then the situation was even worse. So whether the BJP or the Congress remains in power, both of them are not ready to give autonomy to Prasar Bharti; both don't want a free media and both want a bugle that plays their tunes, "he said.
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