RSS mouthpiece Rashtra Dharma becomes ineligble to get central govt ads

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) mouthpiece 'Rashtra Dharma', a monthly journal published from Lucknow, has been suspended from the DAVP empanelment, making it ineligible for central government advertisements.

Journals empaneled with the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), under Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry, are eligible for advertisements issued by the Centre. Rashtra Dharma was launched in 1947 and is published from Lucknow. The journal has a circulation of 40,000 copies, according to its Managing Editor Pavanputar Badal. "Whether we get advertisements or not, we will continue to publish the magazine. Its publication did not stop even during the emergency period," he said.

"DAVP is under the impression that the magazine was not being published since October last year as they have not received its copies which we have sent to them, Badal said. Rashtra Dharma is among 804 newspapers/journals which have been suspended for non-submission of the monthly issues from October 2016 to February 2017, said an DAVP advisory, dated April 6. According to rules, it is mandatory for publications to submit their monthly copies to DAVP before 15th of the subsequent months to avail government advertisements.

The DAVP issues advisories every month regarding this. "Despite this, the monthly issues are not being submitted by the Publishers...Hence, these publications are being suspended...," the advisory said. A DAVP official said the suspension is temporary and will be revoked once the publications follow the rules.