The government today reacted sharply to detention of Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan at an US airport, saying many such incidents have taken place in that country and suggested a tit for tat.
In an interesting turn of events, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni decided not to announce the 57th National Awards for films, though it is customary for the minister to do the honours, considering the prestige attached to the awards and the fact that it is the President of India who gives away the awards.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni urged that private television channels to show restraint and evolve self-regulatory mechanism so that their programmes do not hurt the sentiments of people.
The government on Tuesday informed Parliament that despite stiff competition from private television channels, there was an increase in net revenue of Doordarshan during the previous financial year.
Besides, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry secretary general Amit Mitra, L Suresh, vice president of Film Federation of India, UTV Group chief financial officer Rajeev Waghle, chief financial officer of Reliance Big Films Subhashish Sarkar and Zee Tele films chief executive officer Puneet Goenka, among others, were also part of the delegation.
Government on Thursday cast doubts on the veracity of the National Human Rights Commission report which ruled out rape in Bhatta-Parsaul during the recent farmers' agitation, saying one report cannot negate all the charges.
Coming out in defence of its deal with UK-based SIS Live for telecast of the Commonwealth Games, Prasar Bharti on Monday said the selection of the company was made with the approval of Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday questioned reports of rating agencies on the Indian economy.
Ambika Soni, the new I&B minister, called for a full-presentation on Tuesday on both these issues from senior I&B officials, a day after she took charge of the ministry.
Advocating self regulation in the broadcast sector, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Thursday defended Press Council chairman Justice Katju for initiating a debate on whether to have a regulatory body and for raising the issue in public.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Friday accused news channels of helping civil society activist Arvind Kejriwal to malign the image of people by airing his "unsubstantiated allegations of wrong-doings".
Ahead of Sunday's reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers, three Cabinet ministers and a minister of state resigned on Saturday, saying they want to work for the party.
The stage is set now for a major revamp of the Union Council of Ministers on Sunday with the likely induction of at least ten new faces and promotion of some ministers of state, besides a rejig in the Cabinet, in which Anand Sharma may get the external affairs portfolio.
Justifying the government's action in seeking a second legal opinion from the Attorney General on Army Chief General V K Singh's age row, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Friday said it was done in view of fresh material and points coming up on the issue. Soni's justification comes in the wake of the Supreme Court questioning the government's action of seeking the Attorney General's opinion for the second time on the issue.
The government on Tuesday said it was open to the idea of holding an all-party meeting on the issue of regulating contents on cable television but maintained that a 'fatwa' or a direction will not help serve the purpose.
At a time when the Congress is perhaps facing its toughest electoral challenge and senior leaders are opting out of the race one by one, the party has at least succeeded in fielding tough candidates in two Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab. Anita Katyal reports.
31 satellite TV channels are awaiting the government's approval.
The ICC on Tuesday agreed to allow Indian TV channels to attend the high-voltage World Cup semi-finals between India and Pakistan following a request from Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry today said it could not put in place a regulatory framework for mobile TV service as the available spectrum for the service was far below requirement.
The issue of content code for television news channels will be discussed with all stake holders to find a solution, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said on Friday.
Dubbing Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's recent comment on women as "childish", Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Thursday said he is not "sensitive" towards women.
The committee, which submitted its report to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Monday, has taken a serious view of the small sample size used by the two existing rating agencies in India.
Information and Broadcasting minister Ambika Soni spoke to rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt briefly on the current logjam in Parliament over the government's decision allowing 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail trade.
A US daily's trenchant criticism of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has come under attack from Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, who plans to take up the issue with the External Affairs Ministry so that "strong action" can be taken in the matter.
With the information and broadcasting ministry issuing showcause notices to several broadcasters, the government on Wednesday favoured a self-regulatory mechanism to monitor content that does not violate the laid down norms.
The name of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is one of the most recommended by various groups for the Bharat Ratna award.
India's food processing minister Subodh Kant Sahay on Thursday met Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi ahead of the general\nbudget on July 6.
Addressing media persons, Soni said: "India is a proud nation. Mahatma Gandhi uprooted the British empire through power of satyagraha from the Indian soil. Violence has no place in Indian society."
Chief ministers of Tripura and Uttarakhand on Sunday joined the anti- National Counterterrorism Center chorus taking to 12 the number of opposing states even as their Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi accused United Progressive Alliance of "attacking" the country's federal structure.
Backing Salman Khurshid, two senior Union ministers Monday said there was no question of the law minister being isolated within the government following allegations of misappropriation of funds by an NGO headed by him.
Facing Anna Hazare's threat to go on an indefinite fast from August 16, the government and the Congress on Thursday hardened its stand, making it clear to activists involved in the drafting the Lokpal Bill that Parliament is the final authority in making laws.
Home Minister P Chidambaram was on Friday appointed the head of the Empowered Group of Ministers on spectrum auction that was reconstituted after Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar declined the job.
"I cannot agree with any statement which says that there is lack of governance. I cannot agree with that perception at all," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told reporters.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is all set to carry a major reshuffle in his Cabinet that is scheduled to take place around 11:30 am on Sunday. The reshuffle is likely to see the inclusion of several young faces
Facing Anna Hazare's threat to go on an indefinite fast from August 16, government and the Congress on Thursday hardened its stand, making it clear to activists involved in the drafting the Lokpal Bill that Parliament is the final authority in making laws.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Saturday said Law Minister Salman Khurshid will respond to the allegations against him on returning from his foreign visit and questioned whether it was fair to demand resignations by creating pressure through dharnas.
As the government faces heat over corruption and black money, it is planning to bring a law to prevent the misuse of benami transactions, a key source of illicit funds.
Several complaints had been received about illegal and unlicensed television channels and action had been taken against them, the government informed the Rajya Sabha.
Maintaining that the United Progressive Alliance government is not in favour of "censorship but self-regulation" by the media, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni on Monday said certain ground rules for respect of national symbols have to be followed by every Indian citizen.
Slamming the Karnataka government for failing to stop attacks by Hindu outfits on young boys and girls in the state in name of moral policing, the Centre on Monday demanded firm action against the "hoodlums" for such acts.
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