North-East Film and TV Producers-Directors Association (NEFTPDA) lodged protest with Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil against the discriminatory policy of Prasar Bharati regarding DD's commissioned programmes for the North-East.

A delegation of the NEFTPDA, including representatives from Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya chapters of the organisation, submitted a memorandum to Mr Patil in this regard requesting immediate redressal measures.The Minister after giving a patient hearing assured the producers and directors to look into the matter.The delegation apprised the Home Minister on how the Prasar Bharati authorities, through its recent notification for commissioned programmes for the North-East, is diluting its spirit and instead, laying stress on subjects outside the purview of commissioned  programmes (PPC).

NEFTPDA delegation further urged that under no circumstances, outside producers should be allowed to participate in commissioned programmes for the region. It stated that imposition of Hindi as the sole medium of expression in fiction for PPC (NE) was not acceptable.The delegation, however, made it clear to the Minister that NEFTPDA was not against Hindi or any one willing to make programmes in Hindi. But Hindi mustn't be the sole medium of expression in commissioned programme for North-East.

The delegation also met Central ministers Santosh Mohan Dev and Bijoy Krishna Handique as well as the other MPs and submitted similar memoranda to them.

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