It’s “solar eclipse” in Sun Network owned by the family of Union textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran.
It’s “solar eclipse” in Sun Network owned by the family of Union textiles minister Dayanidhi Maran. A top executive of Asianet, a Malayalam TV channel, told DNA that Maran, Union telecommunication minister in 2004, had deliberately delayed issuing licence to Asianet’s general entertainment channel.
He was the DMK nominee in the Union cabinet from 2004 to 2007, before being dropped by the prime minister at the recommendation of party president Karunanidhi, following intra-family rivalry.
“Dayanidhi had an interest in Surya TV, the Malayalam channel owned by his family. He did not want others launching Malayalam channels. The application could be cleared only with political intervention made possible by friends of the then Asianet chairman Reji Menon,” said the executive who did not want to be named.
Raj TV, a entertainment channel in Tamil, too bore Dayanidhi’s brunt when it shot into prominence. “He cancelled the licences of our news channels. God is great. That’s why Dayanidhi is facing a situation like this,” said Rajendran, managing director of Raj TV.
All those connected with satellite TV channels and cable TV distribution have a lot to complain about the high-handed methods employed by Dayanidhi, Kalanidhi and their henchmen.
“I am reminded of the Mario Puzo’s Godfather. Tamil Nadu was in the grip of the DMK’s first family which also includes the Marans. They did not allow anyone to enter commercial areas where they had major interests,” said another channel executive.
Within hours of Dayanidhi Maran issuing a statement on Thursday denying reports about allegations of discrimination and misuse of official power, The New Indian Express came out with an explosive report on Dayanidhi Maran, how he installed a “telephone exchange” with 323 lines for the family-owned Sun TV.
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