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Controversy Erupts Over Doordarshan News Logo Change to Saffron

Kalyani Jha
20 Apr, 2024

The recent change in the logo color of public broadcaster Doordarshan News from red to saffron has stirred a political debate, with opposition parties criticizing it as “unethical” and “grossly illegal.” The move, unveiled by government-owned broadcaster Prasar Bharati, has drawn sharp reactions, particularly due to saffron’s association with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Sangh Parivar.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the logo change, denouncing it as the “saffronisation” of Doordarshan. She raised concerns about the timing coinciding with national elections and accused the national public broadcaster of displaying a pro-BJP bias.

In response, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur quipped about Banerjee’s affinity for saffron, while BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya defended the change, referring to the historical use of saffron in Doordarshan’s logo dating back to 1982.

Former Prasar Bharati CEO Jawhar Sircar, aligned with TMC, voiced alarm over Doordarshan’s “saffronisation,” highlighting concerns about merging political and state identities. However, Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi dismissed the criticism, citing the previous adoption of saffron in DD India’s logo for consistency across news channels.

The controversy reflects the sensitivity surrounding political symbolism and the public perception of media neutrality, especially during election periods. Critics argue that such visual changes may blur the line between state institutions and political affiliations, raising questions about transparency and impartiality in public broadcasting.