New Delhi : Crying foul over the proposal to elevate some persons whom it perceives as well known Modi-baiters, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh is using its influence to make sure that Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley does not attend a seminar organized by the Indian Institute of Mass Communication. This seminar is being held to discuss the details of turning the IIMC into a university. But the RSS has raised strong objections about the functioning of the institute.
IIMC, the premier institution for quality journalism and media studies, has always been looked upon suspiciously by RSS ideologues as they feel that the institute, like many other top line institutions, is mostly manned by left-leaning people.
Top sources said the RSS has raised strong objection about a proposal by the IIMC administration that Anand Pradhan, a well known journalist and IIMC faculty, be made overall in charge of English journalism of all IIMC campuses in the country. The proposal came after a detailed study was conducted by a committee headed by Geeta Bamzai.
However, the Sangh has pointed out that Pradhan repeatedly attacked Narendra Modi during the Lok Sabha campaign on television as well as in the social media. They argue that if Pradhan is made the head of English journalism now, he would be promoting and hiring people of the ”same thought” in all the institutes.
When asked, Anand Pradhan said he was not aware of the RSS intervention but he would not be surprised as ”anyone who was forthright in his views was never liked by people of any political dispensation”.
Meanwhile, there is unease in the government about turning IIMC into a university. Some people have raised questions about the financial record of the institute while some others are upset about major decisions being taken by Director General, Sunit Tandon, who is not a ”term appointment”. With too many controversies doing the rounds, two important meetings of the IIMC have already been cancelled in March. All eyes would now be on what attitude the government adopts towards the May 14 meet.
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