News Broadcasting
…And a PIL against cable ops, broadcasters, government
MUMBAI: BJP member of parliament (MP) Kirit Somaiya is sending out a message that he means business. Apart from announcing on 15 February that he would be filing a criminal case against the TV trade, he said that he, along with other BJP MLAs Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Atul Shah and Sandeep Joshi of Mumbai Cable Grahak Sangh, will file a public interest litigation (PIL) against 12 respondents. These include the Maharashtra government agencies, central government’s I&B ministry, broadcasters, MSOs (multi service operators) and cable operators.
While addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Mumbai, Somaiya alleged that the governments (state and central) have failed to protect the consumer interest and allowed broadcasters and pay channels to arbitrarily increase pay channel charges. He says that the broadcasters have hiked rates tremendously within the past year.
Somaiya stated that the various departments of the state government had not initiated action against the errant cable operators and MSOs who collected money from the consumers but failed to deposit the same in the government kitty.
“More than 50 per cent of TV sets in Mumbai are capable of showing only 10 channels but the unscrupulous cable operators and MSOs collect the entire amount for 60 plus channels,” said Somaiya.
Somaiya added that cable ops and the MSOs didn’t provide technology which would enable people to view what they desired. He however added that the conditional access system which is to be implemented by July 2003 under a government order would address these issues.
Somaiya also disclosed that one of the petitions made in this PIL would urge the state government to ensure that the entertainment tax is levied on a pro-rata basis. “Why should black and white TV owners give the same tax as those who have sophisticated TV sets for watching 100 channels,” asks Somaiya.
Somaiya has cautioned consumers against paying cable operators in advance for a year’s subscription.
“It is possible that some of these cable operators will not even exist post conditional access system’s implementation,” says Somaiya.
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.
