News Broadcasting
ABP rebuffs link between its report and migrant gathering
MUMBAI: ABP News Network has rebuffed any link between a mob gathering at Mumbai’s Bandra West station and a story shown in its Marathi news channel ABP Majha as "entirely misconceived and being circulated with the sole intention of maligning the channel.”
ABP Majha ran a news story on Tuesday morning suggesting that the railways may run special trains for migrant labourers to return to their hometowns. The story was broadcasted hours before prime minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation extending the lockdown till 3 May.
“There is no denial of the railway ministry’s letter of 13 April 2020 recommending running of trains to return migrant labourers to their hometowns,” says the network’s spokesperson in a statement. However, minutes after PM Modi’s declaration of lockdown extension, the channel had run a story about the cancellation of trains and refunds till the extended lockdown ends, the statement also states.
“Subsequent to PM Modi’s announcement at 10 am of the continuation of the lockdown and announcements thereafter from the ministry of railways with regard to cancellation of trains and refunds till 3 May, we ran multiple stories, shortly after the ministry’s announcement from 12.30 – 1.30 pm, on our channel clearly announcing that no trains will be running,” says the network. This story, it says, negated its morning one.
“There is no conceivable way in which the crowds that gathered at the Bandra West station from around 3.45 pm can be linked to our (ABP Majha) stories,” says the network’s spokesperson.
ABP Majha reporter Rahul Kulkarni has been arrested for spreading misinformation and deceiving people. The network, expressing shock and dismay about his arrest, said it “will be taking necessary and immediate steps in law.”
The network further added: “We would like to say that before journalists are arrested there should be due verification of all facts and circumstances.”
The senior journalist, meanwhile, has been granted bail by the court.
As media has been put under the essential services category during this unprecedented crisis, the spokesperson in its statement says: “We can say with full confidence that we have not deviated from practices of responsible journalism, and make every possible good faith endeavour to ensure the accuracy of our information and news from credible sources before broadcasting the same.”
Supporting ABP News Network and its channel’s report, News Broadcast Association president Rajat Sharma, requested Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to drop the charges and release the senior journalist Rahul Kulkarni. The president also urged the state government to instead file a complaint before the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA).
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
