Edited by Mala Das | Updated: Oct 03, 2014 10:09 IST
Nagpur: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's Vijaya Dashmi address to his organisation's cadres was telecast live on national broadcaster Doordarshan this morning, stirring controversy.
This is the first time that Doordarshan has broadcast the address, in which the RSS chief articulates the Sangh's vision and guides members of the organization. The RSS is the ideological mentor of ruling party BJP.
Senior BJP leaders often attend these events at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur. Many of them have roots in the RSS, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior ministers like Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari.
Historian and writer Ramchandra Guha said on Twitter, "I hope someone files a PIL against DD's plans to cover the RSS chief's speech live. This naked state majoritarianism must be resisted."
In his address, Mr Bhagwat touched upon a range of issues, including PM Modi's visit to the US and the rousing reception he received there. He congratulated scientists for the Mars mission and Indian sportsmen for their wins in the Asian Games in South Korea.
He also said, "Respect and acceptance of each other's faith, harmony and cooperation is the hall mark of Hindu Culture... we need to teach the world around us."
Sangh sources said this is the first time that the RSS Vijaya Dashmi address was broadcast on Doordarshan; this did not happen even during the first stint at the Centre of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister, they said.
This year, the RSS marks 90 years since its launch on Vijaya Dashmi in 1925.
Story first published: Oct 03, 2014 07:59 IST
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