Sources in the Ministry said today there was a move to change Prasar Bharati's stand on mythologicals as these are seen to encourage communal amity and present a correct perspective on ``cultural nationalism''. Ousted Prasar Bharati CEO Surrindar Singh Gill had lambasted mythologicals, but after a note from Karan Singh, had tempered his criticism of their anti-diluvianism and said that no extension should be given to such serials.Now, however, the Ministry is encouraging acting CEO O P Kejriwal to consider the case for a re-telecast of Ramanand Sagar's Ramayana. On Monday, Kejriwal will also meet the producers of three mythologicals and pseudo historicals, Jai Hanuman, Chandrakanta andOm Namah Shivay, in order to determine slots for their telecast on the National Network.

The Delhi High Court had directed Doordarshan to give Jai Hanuman seven more episodes and then left any further extension to its CEO. Its producer, Sanjay Khan, had taken Prasar Bharati to court for not giving an extension to his serial. Chandrakanta, which won a Supreme Court ruling that it had been wrongfully terminated on DD, also has to be accommodated, but Creative Eye, the producers of Om Namah Shivay, have refused to vacate their existing slot for them. Om Namah Shivay's case has been bolstered by a Supreme Court ruling which restores to Prasar Bharati the right to take programming decisions.

The acting CEO has the unenviable task of resolving this tussle, while also keeping in mind Sanjay Khan's request that he be given an extension beyond the mandated seven episodes. Khan had met both the information and broadcasting ministers with this request. But there may not be much room forKhan. Of the six prime time, non-feature film hours on the National Network every week, three hours have already been given to mythologicals -- for a public service broadcaster, that is far from an ideal situation.

The anti-Gillism is evident elsewhere. One of the very first things Gill had done after taking over was to stop the telecast of tele-shopping on DD2, saying that it encouraged nothing but crass commercialism. It now appears that Kejriwal is seriously considering the case of both United Television and Hitesh Israni, whose Teleshopping and Telebrands were taken off DD2 in January this year.

Gill's decision to allow a private production house to do a news capsule for DD1 in Calcutta has also been stalled, and clubbed with a similar proposal for DD1 in Hyderabad. This decision is likely to be put up before the Prasar Bharati board. A senior board member said that a meeting would take place ``very soon'' because ``several decisions are hanging fire''.