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DMK chief M.Karunanidhi has come to the rescue of the government at the Centre and clarified that the centre is only following the directives of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and not granting DAS license to Arasu Cable.
Inspite of recommendations being sent by the I&B Ministry TRAI stuck to its earlier stance that Union and State Governments and companies or entities owned or funded by them should not be allowed to enter the business of broadcasting and distribution of television channels.
Karunanidhi, who had set up Arasu Cable TV Corporation during his reign as chief minister, said the UPA government was going by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai) recommendation that prevents government or government-owned entities from entering the television broadcasting or distribution business.
He further criticised Jayalalithaa for charging the Centre with "deliberate non-issuance" of DAS licence to Arasu Cable TV only to facilitate the business interests of a "particular family which forms part of the ruling coalition at the Centre," in an apparent reference to DMK.
The DMK chief also said it was not proper on her part to make such remarks at the National Development Council meeting.
Jayalalithaa had at the National Development Council (NDC) meeting recently lambasted the government for deliberately holding DAS licence to Arasu.
It is known that this development could impact the Tamil Nadu government-run multi-system operator Arasu Cable TV’s future. Its application for a license to operate in Chennai under the Digital Addressable System (DAS) has been pending with the Ministry for months. Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has already written on the issue to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and her party MPs has raised it in Parliament.
In late November, the I & B Ministry had asked TRAI to give its recommendations on whether Government entities could run television channels or own distribution companies.The regulatory body reiterated that joint ventures of the Union or State Governments and the private sector should not be allowed to run television channels or cable companies.
TRAI seemed firm in its stand and maintained that the arm’s length relationship between Prasar Bharati and the Government should be further strengthened.
