Prasad fails to sell CAS to Thackeray

Despite I&B Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s persuasive skills, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray remains unconvinced about the ‘‘e...

Despite I&B Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad’s persuasive skills, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray remains unconvinced about the ‘‘essential goodness’’ of the Conditional Access System or CAS.

At the end of two hours — the time that Prasad and Thackeray spent at the latter’s Matoshree residence in Mumbai today — the Sena chief remained convinced that CAS spelt doom for the consumers and the cable operators. Prasad later told reporters that ‘‘Thackeray’s suggestions will be uppermost in my mind so that the rollover to CAS is smooth’’.

Sena MP Pritish Nandy, who was present at the meeting, said Thackeray expressed disapproval over CAS. ‘‘It calls for a spending on set-top boxes required to access pay channels, not to mention complicated loan rental schemes which impose a burden on the consumers.’’

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Among the others present were PMO man and media advisor to the I&B Ministry Sudheendra Kulkarni, Union Minister Anant Geete and Sena party executive president Uddhav Thackeray.

Asked about Thackeray’s opposition to CAS, Prasad said: ‘‘Thackeray is a senior NDA leader…He has raised some genuine concerns…And his concerns are ours as well.’’ To a query whether CAS will be implemented as per schedule, the minister said: ‘‘I hope so.’’

Prasad declined to comment on Thackeray’s criticism that the Government would have to ‘‘pay a price’’ for its decision to force the people to buy set-top boxes priced at Rs 6,000. Neither did he have anything to say on the Sena chief’s allegation that ‘‘a London-based business magnate had struck a deal with the Government and they want to dump their set-top boxes in India’’.

Prasad said the cable operators would provide set-top boxes to viewers and will ensure that they give warranty for the product. He said the Government had to step in only because cable operators, multi-service operators and consumer bodies had failed to resolve the issue among themselves.

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Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana also did his bit by cautioning Prasad against CAS. Khurana met Prasad yesterday to point out that the move was being seen as ‘‘anti-consumer’’ and could affect the BJP’s prospects in the polls.