Reiterating his opposition to conditional access system, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray clarified that he had told Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad that the new system should be implemented in Mumbai only after it achieves success in Delhi.
Thackeray, in a statement issued late on Friday night, hours after prolonged parleys with Prasad, said, "Implement CAS first in the national capital. If it is successful there, then we will see about implementing it in Mumbai."
The Sena chief clarified that his talks with Prasad for nearly two-and-a-half hours, remained "inconclusive" and expressed surprise over media reports that his party had softened its stance on the issue.
Prasad, while briefing reporters after his discussions with Thackeray, had said he had got 'blessings' from the Sena chief and had assured the latter that his genuine concerns about protecting consumers and cable operators will be addressed by the Centre.
Thackeray's statement clarified that he had told the minister that Sena will not accept CAS just because the government has taken a decision on it.
"We will consider agreeing to your set-top boxes only if interests of consumers and cable operators are protected", the Sena chief said.
"Why had the media projected that Sena had extended support to CAS, when the discussions remained inconclusive," Thackeray asked.
Prasad along with prime minister's media adviser had air-dashed to the metropolis in an apparent bid to placate Thackeray, who had come down heavily on CAS.
"The government will have to pay a heavy price for forcing people to buy set-top boxes worth Rs 6000", the Sena chief had said alleging that the government had struck a deal with a UK-based business magnate to dump set-top boxes in India.