Artists oppose NSD's promotion of religious festivals on social media

Over 260 artists, writers and former faculty members of the National School of Drama have raised 'grave concern' about the institute allegedly promoting religious festivals on its Instagram account.

In a letter to the chairperson of the NSD, they raised objections to the religious messages being shared on its official Instagram account and demanded their immediate removal.

The institute had recently posted about festivals like Karwa Chauth, Eid-Ul-Milad and Durga puja on Instagram.

Artist and director M K Raina, actor Sudhanva Deshpande and former director of NSD Anuradha Kapur are among the 262 signatories of the letter.

In the letter, they have raised objection to the dissemination of religious messages, imagery and iconography of any kind by the public, state-run institutions, saying it goes against the remit of such institutions.

"We the undersigned -- 262 artists, writers, academics, cultural workers, alumni and former faculty members of the National School of Drama -- note with grave concern that the NSD official Instagram account is promoting religious festivals and has been displaying religious images and iconography," stated the letter issued on Monday.

"We bring this to the notice of the authorities at the NSD, and demand that this be stopped immediately," it added.

They demanded that all religious messages and imagery be withdrawn/deleted immediately from the NSD's social media platforms or any other channels of public dissemination, that NSD's public communications on social media be restricted to relevant posts about theatre, art or education and that greater care be taken to maintain and safeguard the high standards, stature and reputation of this institution.

However, when PTI reached out to NSD, the institute said it does not have information about any such letter right now.