DMK urges Centre to restore the name All India Radio

CHENNAI: The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday urged the Centre to withdraw its decision to change the name of All India Radio - Akashvani and to restore the name All India Radio.

Writing to Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur, veteran DMK MP TR Baalu referred to media reports on Prasar Bharati's direction to stop using the words 'All India Radio' and instead use the word 'Akashvani' and said the decision is not acceptable at all.

"The sudden decision of Prasar Bharati is unwarranted. You may be knowing that for decades together English broadcasts and Regional broadcasting stations have been using the name 'Vaanoli', the Tamil equivalent of 'Akashvani'. Though Prasar Bharati claims now that this is an old decision and the All India Radio Stations have been just advised to implement it. This is not proper and is not acceptable at all, " the DMK MP said in his letter.

"Already people in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere have started protesting the action of Prasar Bharati. Several political parties in Tamil Nadu have strongly condemned the move of Prasar Bharati to deny the rightful place of Tamil in All India Radio and impose Hindi in its place. On behalf of DMK also we sharply protest the decision of Prasar Bharati to jettison the popular name All India Radio. In the circumstances, I request you to kindly intervene in the matter and advise Prasar Bharati suitably so that the earlier practice is restored by it immediately, " he added.