“Asked to hide my kalawa during a TV show”: Ashok Shrivastava
Senior journalist Ashok Shrivastava has recalled an incident from his time at Doordarshan during the 2006–07 UPA regime, claiming that a senior official had asked him to conceal his kalawa the sacred Hindu wrist thread while appearing on a television programme.
According to Shrivastava, the official objected to the visible religious symbol on national television and instructed him to hide it during the broadcast. However, he refused to comply with the directive.
Recalling his response, Shrivastava said, “This is my identity, this is my pride,” asserting that the kalawa was an important part of his personal and religious identity.
The incident, which allegedly took place during his tenure with the public broadcaster, has once again drawn attention after Shrivastava publicly spoke about it. His remarks have reignited discussion around religious expression and institutional attitudes within media organisations during that period.
