On October 24, United Kingdom’s Member of Parliament (MP) Rishi Sunak became leader of the country’s conservative party and Prime Minister-designate. With his appointment on the next day, he became the first Indian-origin MP to become the UK’s PM. Since Sunak is a practicing Hindu and has even received online hate for his Hindu roots, the sacred thread or Kalava he wears in his hand has become a topic of discussion after he assumed office.
Ashok Shrivastav a journalist working with the dedicated news arm of the national broadcaster Doordarshan News or DD News shared a similar incident with OpIndia and told us about how he was asked not to show his Kalava on air during the UPA era.
Ashok Shrivastav was forced to hide his Kalava during the UPA regime
Ashok Shrivastav said, “It is an incident from 2004-2005. Ashok Shrivastav told OpIndia, “I always have a Kalava tied on my wrist. Even on that day, it was there. When the shoot was to start I was asked to remove it. I felt strange. But, at that time, I did not remove it. I rather took extra care so that it does not show on the screen.”
This was not over here. This incident forced Ashok Shrivastav to change his attire for the rest of the UPA years. He told OpIndia, “From this incident onwards, I changed my get-up. I started wearing a jacket and a full sleeves shirt so that nobody raises an objection about my Kalava again.”
Kalava in Rishi Sunak’s wrist was also much discussed on the internet
On October 25, ANI Digital tweeted, “Rishi Sunak sports sacred Hindu ‘Kalawa’ thread during his 1st speech as UK PM at 10 Downing Street”
Rishi Sunak sports sacred Hindu ‘Kalawa’ thread during his 1st speech as UK PM at 10 Downing Street
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) October 25, 2022
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/JjRjAsY1Do#RishiSunak #UnitedKingdom #DowningStreet #UKPM pic.twitter.com/eJOP7CTn4O
Mr. Azad tweeted, “Noticed that “Kautuka” a red-yellow coloured Hindu ritual protection thread, sometimes called as kalava, mauli, moui, raksasutra, pratisara, kaapu, kayiru or charandu… around Rishi Sunak wrist… that will give Heartburn to many tonight around the world”
Noticed that “Kautuka” a red-yellow coloured Hindu ritual protection thread, sometimes called as kalava, mauli, moui, raksasutra, pratisara, kaapu, kayiru or charandu… around #RishiSunak wrist… that will give Heartburn to many tonight around the world #HappyDiwali #Deepavali pic.twitter.com/zY0VERHG1U
— 🦉Mr. AZAD🦉 (@charmer_nku) October 24, 2022
Another Twitter user KAnupriya Chaturvedi posted, “Indians are probably rejoicing over cow worship, sacred thread (kalava) and oath on Bhagwat Geeta!”
Indians are probably rejoicing over cow worship, sacred thread (kalava) and oath on Bhagwat Geeta!
— Kanupriya Chaturvedi (@ckanupriya06) October 25, 2022
Ashok Shrivastav has exposed the UPA rule on multiple occasions
Ashok Shrivastav has on many occasions shared his experiences about the Hinduphobic nature of the national broadcaster DD News in the UPA regime. How DD News was misused by the UPA government between the years 2004-2014 has been revealed in a book titled “Narendra Modi Censored” written by the DD News anchor Ashok Shrivastav.
The book is primarily about an interview with Narendra Modi that was aired on DD News in the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. It was conducted by Ashok Shrivastav but was aired after much delay and blatant attempts to censor it. Even after airing, it got mired in controversies as the Times of India spread misinformation about what was censored by DD News, possibly on orders of those in power.
Following a public backlash, the then Prasar Bharti CEO had acknowledged that chunks of the interview were edited out for failing to get a ‘balancing interview’ with rival political leaders despite best attempts by DD News. Former Prasar Bharti chief Jawhar Sircar had blamed the then I & B Minister Manish Tewari for failing to grant ‘operational autonomy’ to the public broadcaster. He pointed out how not giving in to the government’s demands resulted in transfers, and punitive actions.
In course of recalling the string of incidents around that interview, Ashok Shrivastav also reveals in his book how a public institution was used to target a political opponent by the Congress party. The book reveals that once UPA came to power in 2004, a special cell was constituted in DD News to run news stories, documentaries, programs, etc. to target Narendra Modi, especially around the 2002 post-Godhra riots. Not everyone was allowed to walk into this cell which was housed in room no. 123. Controversial ‘activist’ Teesta Setalvad was a special and regular visitor to the cell.
The cell, supposed to do journalistic work, was even used to celebrate Sonia Gandhi’s birthday on December 9 by distributing sweets, much to the embarrassment of many. What embarrassed and shocked Ashok Shrivastav and some other journalists working at DD News no end, was when this cell distributed sweets in the wake of Narendra Modi, then the Chief Minister of Gujarat, being denied a visa by the United States back in 2005.
Ashok Shrivastav has also described the murkier relationship between the media and the past government. One such video went viral in which he was talking about the relationship between the UPA government and the media.
समझिए क्यों भारत को “असहिष्णु” और “लिंचिस्तान”बना दिया कुछ पत्रकारों और बुद्धिजीवियों ने।#narendramodicensored pic.twitter.com/0mUFfdFbrn
— Ashok Shrivastav (@AshokShrivasta6) April 4, 2019
Ashok Shrivastav narrated his experience regarding how Indian journalists were given gifts, including expensive alcoholic beverages whenever they traveled with the Indian delegation to foreign countries led by the past Prime Ministers. He said that over 150 journalists would travel officially during the Congress regime. Shrivastav said that courtesy of the external affairs ministry during the Congress government, journalists were allowed to order expensive cuisine, and alcohol while they were part of the Indian media delegation.
Note: Report earlier erroneously mentioned the journalist was asked to remove the kalava, sacred Hindu thread at Sonia Gandhi’s residence. He was asked to do so while on air as a journalist on Doordarshan during the UPA era when Congress government was in Centre. Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of UPA and was often considered super PM. Error is regretted.
