RSS-backed news service on AIR

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Rajyavardhan Rathore on Wednesday told the Lok Sabha that the news division of All India Radio has started a “free trial service of Hindustan Samachar”. On July 12, former I&B minister Manish Tewari had tweeted that Prasar Bharati, the body that runs AIR and Doordarshan, has been instructed to terminate the services of news agencies Press Trust of India (PTI) and United News of India (UNI) and replace them with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Hindustan Samachar. Rathore, replying to a written question, denied any plans to stop PTI and UNI news services to AIR, but admitted that it has hired the services of Hindustan Samachar. Hindustan Samachar was founded in 1948 by S S Apte, who also established the Vishva Hindu Parishad.