Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar meets Narendra Modi in New Delhi, raises minority welfare
New Delhi: Grand Mufti of India, Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday and held detailed discussions on a wide range of social, humanitarian, educational and developmental matters.
According to a statement shared after the meeting, the discussions covered key concerns relating to minority welfare, inclusive development and important international developments. The Grand Mufti apprised the Prime Minister of the concerns and demands raised by various sections of society during his recent Kerala tour conducted under the theme “With Humanity.” He also conveyed his reflections and message ahead of the forthcoming holy month of Ramadan.
The meeting emphasized the importance of development that includes all sections of society, giving due importance to happiness and human development indices alongside economic growth. The need for equitable allocation of resources based on population proportion and regional balance was also highlighted.
Among the specific issues raised were concerns related to Waqf and SIR matters, protection of historic mosques and Islamic heritage monuments, and the reinstatement of minority educational welfare schemes, including the Maulana Azad National Fellowship. Discussions also touched upon ensuring justice for innocent individuals, challenges faced by Islamic institutions in North India such as Mubarakpur Jamia Ashrafiyya, proposals for train services connecting major pilgrimage centres in South India, and the development of the Aligarh University Malappuram Centre.
The Prime Minister appreciated the educational and social welfare initiatives undertaken under the leadership of Samasta Kerala Jam’iyyathul Ulama and Jamia Markaz, noting that such efforts contribute to societal progress and enhance India’s global reputation. The need for closer engagement between the Central Government and minority communities across the country was also underscored.
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Saquafi, Secretary of Samasta Kerala Jam’iyyathul Ulama, and Dr. Muhammed Abdul Hakkim Azhari, Managing Director of Markaz Knowledge City, were present during the meeting.
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Union government assumes full control over TV ratings, TRAI role curtailed: Report
New Delhi: The Union government has assumed full control over television audience measurement, removing the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) from oversight of the ratings system that underpins the country’s ₹36,000 crore television advertising market, according to a report published on Wednesday.
The report in Mint said the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) now has exclusive authority over the framework governing how television ratings are measured and regulated. TRAI had been entrusted with oversight of TV ratings in 2012 during the UPA government’s tenure. TRAI is no longer mentioned in the relevant policy document, effectively vesting sole authority in the MIB.
The report said TRAI will continue to regulate other aspects of broadcasting, including channel pricing, advertising caps, interconnection and distribution norms, service quality and compliance standards. Its role in determining how ratings agencies track viewing behaviour has been withdrawn.
Television Rating Points (TRPs), which reflect viewership patterns, guide advertisers in deciding where to allocate spending across channels and time slots.
A government source quoted in the report said the ministry could modify TRAI’s decisions even when the regulator oversaw broadcasting.
A former CEO of Prasar Bharati told the newspaper that the MIB has historically regulated rating agencies through licensing and guidelines, and by holding them accountable under existing norms.
During its tenure overseeing ratings, TRAI had taken decisions affecting the broadcast sector, which included capping advertising time at 12 minutes per hour following complaints about excessive commercial breaks and it now remains unclear how these matters will be addressed under the revised arrangement.
Satya N. Gupta, former principal advisor at TRAI, was quoted as saying that merging regulatory functions with policy oversight and removing an independent regulator from the process was a retrograde step.
TRAI’s involvement in broadcasting had earlier attracted criticism as well. In 2012, its consultation paper on quantitative limits on television advertising was viewed by some as overlapping with the Advertising Standards Council of India’s code. Subsequent recommendations covering television audience measurement, ownership of news channels and issues such as paid news had also raised concerns among sections of the industry.
Television ratings have faced scrutiny in recent years, including during the controversy involving the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), where officials of the ratings body were prosecuted over allegations of manipulation of viewership data.
