Doordarshan’s Saffron stunt draws flak from opposition

Doordarshan, the autonomous national public service broadcaster, has drawn flak from the former Prasar Bharati CEO and Trinamool Congress MP, Jawahar Sircar for amending the colour of its iconic logo from ruby to saffron amidst the ongoing general elections. Defending its move, DD highlighted the fact that its initial logo which was launched in 1959, was also of saffron shade. While West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee led accusation towards the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of changing the colours of national properties and icons into saffron to influence and win the sentiment of people, when the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls are underway. “How could the Election Commission of India allow this crude, pro-saffron violation of the Model Code of Conduct when the people are in the electoral mode?” Banerjee asked. In addition, Congress's Manish Tewari, who was the Information and Broadcasting Minister from 2012 to 2014, also alleged that the logo colour change was the government's attempt to capture public institutions.