Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 5: Kashmiri Television artists threatened to hold hunger strike outside Parliament if the Centre Government does not release funds for the Doordarshan’s Kashir Channel.
The channel has “lost its purpose” of boosting the State’s culture as the Central Government after making tall claims has failed to fulfill its promises, a group of veteran artists said.
“We have been left high and dry. We have no option but to fight for our demands and we will go for a hunger strike at Lok Sabha if our demands are not met at the earliest,” Chairman, Television Professionals United Forum (TPUF), Zameer Ashai told media persons here.
The veteran television actor said budget for the channel has been cut by Prasar Bharati from Rs 16 crore to only Rs 3 crore.
He said the channel was made famous by them in the state by their hard work, but they are now being dragged out from it.
Another famous artist, Ayash Arif said as per the guidelines, Valley-based producers were supposed to get 75% of the allotted budget and outside producers the remaining 25%.
Taking a dig at the Prasar Bharati’s Director General for refusing to commission funds for the channel, the artists vowed to go to any extreme if such decision was taken.
“New Delhi (Government of Inida) should think seriously for the people involved with producing, acting and directing programmes for the viewers.
The artists also slammed the Parliamentarians from the State for not taking up their issues with the Government of India.
The artists said that State Government treats Bollywood people as special guests by providing them every sort of help. “But, no sort of help is provided to them by the State Government,” they said.
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