DTH deal sparks a Jayalalithaa-Maran spat

CHENNAI: Amidst the election heat in Tamil Nadu, a controversy is brewing around Union IT & Communication minister Dayanidhi Maran on Sun TV’s alleged attempts to grab major stakes in the Tata Sky Direct to Home (DTH) project.

Digging deep into an allegation being made by MDMK leader Vaiko, a Chennai-based English daily on Wednesday carried a story indicating that Maran tried to arm-twist the Tatas and Star TV to get the DTH project for his brother Kalanidhi Maran’s Sun TV.

In addition, a new spat has sparked off with chief minister and AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Thursday asking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to drop Maran from the Union cabinet. After the newspaper reported that the minister tried to pressure Ratan Tata and spoke to Rupert Murdoch, parties opposed to the DMK raised a hue and cry.

BJP national secretary Bandaru Dattatreya said there was a prima facie case against Maran and that the Prime Minister should take serious note of it. Vaiko wanted Manmohan Singh to immediately remove Maran from the ministry.

Dayanidhi Maran dismissed the allegation as a blatant lie. “I have not spoken to Ratan Tata or Rupert Murdoch on this matter,’’ he told DNA.

“When Jayalalithaa did not bother to resign from chief ministership when the matter of illegal sale of Sirucheri land for her own benefit came to light, her demand for my resignation seems like a joke,” said Maran.