IS NDTV THE NATIONAL TV OF CHINA?

I do not have words to express my indignation and frustration. NDTV continues to air maps in which the political boundaries of India are so inaccurate that anyone watching the channel elsewhere in the world would think that he is watching the national television of China.

Today, at about 0805 hours India Time, the map aired on NDTV Profit showed a China within whose boundaries were included Aksai Chin and parts of Ladakh and Uttaranchal, something that has been happening for a long time. This time, however, Chinese territory appeared to include not only Sikkim but also the whole of West Bengal too!

I had repeatedly written to the channel last year to correct their maps but they simply did not bother. Finally, I wrote to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, with copies to Press Information Bureau and NDTV, on April 22, 2007 at jsp.inb@nic.in, pib@alpha.nic.in and feedback@ndtv.com respectively, in the hope that at least Government of India will prevail upon the channel. I am posting a copy of that email here. Needless to add, our babus too seem to be bereft of national pride and are apparently energized by other considerations.

I can only hope that someone who matters lands on this page and ensures that NDTV is finally made to understand that it a national channel of India, not China.

Is it not disturbing that no Indian, whether in the government or without, has noticed this very serious lapse till now?

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Dear Sir/Madam,

I write to bring to your notice a matter which concerns me as an Indian and which, perhaps, needs your kind intervention, as NDTV seems to be too self-obsessed to pay attention to something that directly impinges on the country's territorial integrity and our national pride.

For many months now, I have been noticing that NDTV has been displaying inaccurate maps of India on many of their programs, showing Aksai Chin as part of China, among other errors. You may ask for footage of any program on NDTV profit where they display the map of most of Asia while talking to experts on the line from a country from the region. Sometimes even part of Uttarakhand has been shown in China. The map of India displayed during the Weather Report also demarcates Aksai Chin separately. On many occasions, Kashmir is shown with POK also separately demarcated, just like on some international, but not Indian channels.

I have repeatedly sent emails to NDTV bringing these lapses to their notice. However, it seems that the people involved in selecting the maps to be shown the channel have either a doubtful allegiance to the Indian nation or have simply no pride or concern for the image that they reflect of our country across the globe. The Chinese would be surely be pleased, if they have not paid NDTV for showing what appear to be Chinese maps on Indian national media for free.

May I request you kind intervention so that this mockery of our country is stopped without any further delay? I would also recommend some publicly administered punitive action so that the channel and its staff realise that they too are expected to abide by the law which they so loudly and self righteously demand for all others.

Regards,

Yours Sincerely,

Vinod Sharma