Remember the days when Doordarshan was FREE to watch for citizens of India? Had you ever paid for watching Doordarshan, DD Urdu, DD News or DD Bharti? After hundreds of private TV channels came into existence, there are so many channels even today that are made available as FREE-TO-AIR for the citizens. To name a few are DD National, DD News, DD Bharti, Sony Pal, 9XM, ABP News, BIG Magic, CNBC Awaz, E24, ETV, IBN7 among hundred others. But after making digitisation compulsory by the Govt. of India, citizens are forced to pay to the service providers like Tata Sky & Dish TV for viewing National Channels and FREE-TO-AIR channels also, along with premium channels. We are charged in the names of Activation, Subscription, Monthly Recharge, Service Fee et-cetra et-cetra. If we do not recharge Tata Sky or Dish TV, we can't view even Doordarshan's DD channels which are being run by the Govt. for its citizens, from our (tax-payers) money. I need to ask why it is so? Who are these private & MNC companies to make money in an affair between Govt and it's people?

I urge all the citizens to become aware, spread the message and strengthen the voice against this ill system. With the help of this platform, I request the concerned authorities- TRAI & Govt. of India to make necessary changes in the existing system (technologically & otherwise) to make freely available Doordarshan & other Free-To-Air channels to the citizens of India.

Thanks, Pankaj Dwivedi, New Delhi.