NEW DELHI: The Proposal to foreign media houses to participate in the Indian newspaper industry may run into rough weather, despite the recent approval of the idea put forward by the Cabinet subcommittee on the issue.

The idea is not only being opposed by almost sill the Opposition parties, but also from sections of the Congress Party. In fact, approval of the proposal by the Cabinet subcommittee is elf was not unanimous.

At least one member of (he committee Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh is understood 19 hive strongly opposed thir idea.

 A few other Cabinet ministers also have reservation, against the proposal being posted by the Ft Nance Ministry.

However, note at them want to #0 On record On the issue at This stage, saying that they will speak ‘out their mind when the subject comes up for formal discussion by the Cabinet.

Mr, Arjun Singh’s reservations have been recorded in the minutes of the Cabinet subcommittee meeting and the Prime Minister is already aware of it.

Unconfirmed repos said that the Minister had also written so pie mainly to Mr. Rao, detailing His misgivings about allowing foreign media houses 10 enter the country.

Sources in the Cabinet subcommittee said that Action Singh did not share the view that restriction like not wowing foreign media houses to own majorly shares in the collaborative ventures, would take care of the problems he foresaw if the proposal was cleared.

 He sought to impress the members hit the information industry had to be treated as distinet from other indusiries and thus the dngu= ment ~ (hat opening up. the pant media of forein COADORIORS Was just another aspect of egonomig liberalization  was fallaeious.

Another cabinet member, who is opposed Lo the proposal was seething in his entices of those using. To push the proposal, “How can you Compare newspapers to consumer goods like soaps and toothpastes? Once you allow these people, in, they could well gain a strange hold over the information industry. And that could prove disastrous,” He also revealed that several senior Congress Leaders had already met the Prime Minister to register their opposition to the move. Besides several large newspaper establishments like The Times of India and The Hindustan Times are also opposed to the move and are lobbying intensely against it.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 9, 1994