DD’s saffron hues a precursor: Stalin

It’s beginning of Sangh Parivar gameplan to saffronise each and everything, alleges CM

CHENNAI: Condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre for their decision to change the colour of the logo of national broadcaster Doordarshan from red to orange, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday claimed that the BJP was conspiring to ‘saffronise’ everything and said the Lok Sabha election results will show that the people have risen up against such fascism.

Recalling his Lok Sabha campaign, Chief Minister and DMK president Stalin said, “As we said during the election campaign, these (steps such as logo colour change) are just a precursor of BJP’s plan to ‘saffronise’ everything.”

“The results of the 2024 Lok Sabha election will show that the people of India have risen up against the monolithic fascism of the BJP,” he said in a social media post.

Pointing out to the saffronising incidents attempted by the BJP, CM Stalin said, “They (BJP) applied saffron paint to

Tamil Saint Tiruvalluvar. By applying saffron paint on statues of tall leaders of Tamil Nadu, they (BJP) insulted them. They Sanskritised the pure Tamil name of ‘Vaanoli’ as Akashvani. They also removed the aesthetic Tamil word Podhigai. Now, Doordarshan has been given a saffron stain.”

Responding to Chief Minister Stalin’s criticism, state BJP vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy said the BJP also condemned the ‘red colour’ logo of Doordarshan (Red represents Communism) which stands for so many days.

‘Grossly illegal’

Earlier, the INDIA bloc alliance leaders, including West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called the Doordarshan logo colour change grossly illegal and it has reflected a pro-BJP bias and also claimed that the logo colour change move was illegal.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of

India (Marxist) state secretary K Balakrishnan and veteran leader G Ramakrishnan called on Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin at Anna Arivalayam.

After meeting Stalin, CPM state secretary Balakrishnan said it was a courtesy meeting.

Hindutva ideology in govt departments: MDMK

In a separate statement, MDMK general secretary Vaiko said that the BJP government is trying to impose Hindutva ideology in government departments. “BJP has started to use government departments to keep its power. As a part of this, the colour of Prasar Bharati’s logo has been changed to saffron from red. The BJP government had created the logo of G20 in saffron colour,” he added.