The Communist Party Of India (CPI) has expressed outrage over the telecasting of the Ram Mandir Bhumi Pujan by Doordarshan. With the Pujan scheduled to be held in a few days, the CPI has lodged a complaint against its telecast to the Central Government.
In the complaint, it has demanded the Centre to ban the airing of the program, calling it to be against the secular interests of the country. It added that the use of Doordarshan to televise a religious function like the Pujan is against the “accepted norms of national integrity”.
It mentioned the Section 12 2 (a) of the Prasar Bharati Act, which is is the rulebook governing the National Broadcasting Agency, and said that it should abide by the provision of ‘upholding unity and integrity of the country and the values enshrined in the Constitution’ as given in the Act.
“Considering the historical dispute over the land where the religious function is about to take place, it would be mature for the government to desist the attempts to politicise the issue and ensure that the secular image of the country is not undermined, wrote CPI”s Binoy Viswam in the letter. In conclusion, it said that a broadcasting channel governed by an arm of the state should refrain from telecasting the religious function in Ayodhya.
Meanwhile, the preparations for the historic Bhumi Pujan in Ayodhya is underway. It is to be held on August 5th, 2020, with all the social distancing norms intact.