DMK slams Centre over use of name 'Akashvani'

Chennai: The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Sunday hit out at the Centre for what it called replacing the national broadcaster's name 'All India Radio' with 'Akashvani' and demanded that the Union government restore the name AIR.

Writing to Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur, DMK Parliamentarian T R 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 "sudden decision is unwarranted."

Blaming the Centre, Baalu said his party was fully against the decision 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."

Though Prasar Bharati claimed that this was an old decision and AIR stations have been advised to implement it, Baalu, also leader of the DMK Parliamentary party, said the move was "not proper and is not acceptable at all".

"Already, people in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere have started protesting the action of Prasar Bharati."

Several political parties in Tamil Nadu have condemned the action "to deny the rightful place of Tamil in All India Radio and impose Hindi" in its place.

Radio stations in Tamil Nadu have been using the name 'Vaanoli', the Tamil equivalent of Akashvani, he said.