DD to telecast live Mohan Bhagwat's Dussehra address

New Delhi/Nagpur, Oct 21: For the second consecutive year, Doordarshan will broadcast live RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's annual Dussehra address tomorrow to Hindutva organisation volunteers at a function in Nagpur.

DD's maiden live telecast of his address at the 'Vijayadashmi Utsav' last year had invited flak from the Opposition but the public broadcaster has insisted that its coverage is from the "news point of view".

The live telecast is driven by news point of view, a DD official said. Former DRDO chairman and NITI Aayog member Vijay Kumar Saraswat will be the chief guest at the event, scheduled to be held on the sprawling Reshmibag grounds in the south-eastern part of Nagpur.

The RSS head uses the occasion, which coincides with the organisation's foundation day as per the Hindu calendar, to talk about the outfit's yearlong work and offer comments about events considered significant by it.

"Bhagwat ji will address swayamsevaks and spell out the outfit's agenda for the year," a RSS functionary said.

Bhagwat's speech tomorrow assumes significance against the backdrop of a host of controversies involving various Hindutva outfits and leaders. His recent statements in which he had suggested a review of the quota system had also invited much criticism from the Opposition parties, forcing ruling BJP to distance itself from its mentor.

Union minister Nitin Gadkari, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and a host of dignitaries from different walks of life are expected to attend the Vijayadashmi Utsav, a release from Vishwa Samwad Kendra said.

PTI