ASSEMBLY POLL '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS '98
ARCHIVES

Fire is free to run legally

Deepa Mehta's film Fire has not been banned, Information and Broadcasting Minister Pramod Mahajan clarified in New Delhi.

The film had been sent for review again to the Central Board of Film Certification -- popularly known as the Censor Board -- earlier this month. The ministry is waiting for its report to take a final decision, Mahajan told the I&B ministry's Consultative Committee.

The decision for reassessing the film was under the powers granted by rule 32 (2) of the Cinematography (Certification) Rules, 1983.

It was done in view of ''considerable public resentment all over the country,'' the minister said.

Switching over to foreign investment in the print media, Mahajan said the government was guided by the 1955 Cabinet decision, which prohibits publication of foreign-owned newspapers and periodicals, and of Indian editions of such publications, dealing mainly with news and current affairs. There was no move to change or rescind this policy.

The Reserve Bank of India has allowed 51 per cent foreign equity participation in the film sector. Beyond this, any investment has to be approved by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board. The government was reviewing this ceiling.

The government was also studying the norms on foreign equity in advertising sector, he added.

Some members stressed the need to have regional news bulletins on Doordarshan in the mornings.

The next meeting of the Consultative Committee, to discuss the Prasar Bharati, is scheduled on January 27.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report