The News Broadcasters and Digital Standards Authority has ordered News18 Rajasthan to delete a video on the Tirupati laddu controversy which was aired in September last year. The video featured an interview with self-styled spiritual leader Swami Dipankar and had seemed to suggest in its headline that the presence of beef fat in the laddu was the Congress party’s doing.
“The anchor could be seen questioning the interviewee as to whether the adulteration in the prasadam laddu was a conspiracy against the Hindus. While the anchor had raised questions concerning the responsibility of the current administration and trust members, the overall tone of the broadcast seemed to be less about seeking accountability for the ghee adulteration; instead, the broadcast provided the interviewee with a platform to expound his views on the Sanatan Dharma, which was a deviation from the intended subject for the interview,” said the authority.
