Condemning the killing of a senior journalist of English tabloid Mid-Day in Mumbai on Saturday, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said no civilised society can tolerate this kind of attack on the freedom of the press."This act has challenged the freedom of press and the perusal of objective reporting. This incident is a sign of insanity perpetuated by mindless individuals in which innocent citizens are killed," she said.
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.
31 satellite TV channels are awaiting the government's approval.
He also lashed out at veteran Congress leader Ambika Soni for her statement on the "repercussions of having a Hindu chief minister in Punjab".
Oppn members raised slogans demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe into the issue.
No one from the Gandhi family was present at the All India Congress Committee headquarters when the leaders filed their nominations for the election.
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 former Punjab Congress chief had been upset with the party for serving him a show-cause notice.
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 name of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar is one of the most recommended by various groups for the Bharat Ratna award.
These ministers are meeting select group of editors and senior reporters every week to put forward their viewpoints. The wooing of journalists at the ministerial level is unprecedented and shows the defensive mood prevailing within the government.
The Centre on Thursday said the United Progressive Alliance allies were not covered in the reshuffle of the Council of Ministers in view of the upcoming assembly elections in various states."It was not that big a reshuffle. Only the portfolios were shuffled," Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said while briefing media on the Cabinet meeting."It was not that big a reshuffle. Only the portfolios were shuffled," Information, Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said
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.
The Bharatiya Janata Party garnered five seats, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam got three, the Samajwadi Party, the Nationalist Congress Party and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam got two apiece and the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena got one each respectively as all 30 made it to the Upper House after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations drew to close on Thursday evening.
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.
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.
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."
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was on Friday caught on camera talking on his mobile phone when the national anthem was being played.
He was elected as a local body councillor in 1976 in Bharuch Municipal body of Gujarat at the age of 25 years and became the political secretary of Sonia Gandhi and remained a bridge during UPA-I tenure between the party and the government.
The government's move is aimed at implementing the provisions incorporated in the Cable Television Network Rules 1994. Introduced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, the paper suggests that if 'a product that uses a brand or logo, which is also used for promoting cigarettes and tobacco products, then the visual of the advertisement should depict only the product being advertised and not prohibited products in any form or manner.'
According to information received from sources, there will be a meeting at 5 pm through video conferencing but its agenda is not clear.
Amid questions over how the then Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson fled India, the central government said on Thursday that the group of ministers set up on the Bhopal gas tragedy issue will look into all aspects related to the incident and facts would be presented before the nation.
The opening ceremony of southern regional centre of the National Gallery of Modern Art in Bangaluru on Wednesday witnessed high drama with the artist fraternity and a Karnataka minister entering into a verbal duel, after the minister allegedly dubbed some artists as "pseudo intellectuals".
Among the new entrants in the council headed by the Prime Minister, which will now have 147 members, are Ambika Soni, Dayanidhi Maran and Salman Khursheed have made their entry as Union Ministers while BJP leaders Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley have come in as Leaders of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively.
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.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved a proposal to increase reservation for women to 50 per cent in panchayats.
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.
Informing that the Cabinet had approved a resolution in this regard, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni told media persons that the high court verdict will be just one step in the legal process and that it did not necessarily end with the judgment unless it is acceptable to all sections.
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.
This will be the second merger of an associate bank with the SBI after a similar exercise with the State Bank of Saurashtra in August 2008.
Several complaints had been received about illegal and unlicensed television channels and action had been taken against them, the government informed the Rajya Sabha.
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.
"Prime Minister has directed me to do whatever possible....the bottomline is to procure the memorabilia," Culture Minister Ambika Soni told media-persons as the government made last ditch efforts to stop the auction of Gandhi's personal belongings.
The Centre has postponed taking a decision on the suggestion made by a three-member ministerial group regarding the Delhi high court judgment to decriminalise gay sex.
The global meltdown, coupled with economic recession and the terror incidents, has hit the tourism industry adversely. While there is a fall of foreign tourist arrival, hotel bookings are also witnessing many cancellations. Besides rationalisation of luxury tax, ministry has also sought seamless movement of vehicles meant for tourists.
The government is also evolving a comprehensive strategy to minimise any adverse impact of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai on tourism. Countries like the US, Britain, France and Australia on Thursday advised their citizens to defer travel to India's commercial capital till further notice.
Bowing to the pressure from various states, the Union government on Thursday withdrew the bill to put sports in the Concurrent list.
It has now been decided by the government that on the occasion of Karnataka's Rajyotsava day and Andhra Pradesh's formation day, both falling on November 1, Kannada and Telugu be declared as classical languages, Culture Minister Ambika Soni said in Delhi on Friday.
Caught between conflicting demands, Culture Minister Ambika Soni on Friday said government will take a decision that fits 'international norms and the sentiments' of all those involved while working out a solution for the controversial Sethusamudram project.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is also not immune to unwanted and unsolicited calls from loan companies.
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