NDA opposes UNI takeover by private player

New Delhi, Sep 25 (UNI) The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) today lent its unequivocal support against any sale of majority stakes in the United News of India (UNI) by a private player and said it was one with the ruling UPA government in finding a solution to the financial difficulties being faced by the premier news agency.

The sentiments of the NDA were conveyed to a UNI delegation by former Information and Broadcasting Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

Mr Prasad said Section 25 of the Companies Act, under which UNI has been registered, endows it with a special status and this is not amenable to a takeover by a private player.

The former minister said the NDA would work in tandem with the government to safeguard its ''independent and national character''.

He also lauded the services of the agency, its historic role in national development and its unbiased manner of news presentation.

He felt that for maintaining the democratic traditions of the country, for reasons of security and for the country to pursue the path of autonomous development, the existence of a second news agency was paramount.

''We will solidly back whatever steps the government takes to protect the agency and its employees,'' he said.

Essel Group Chairman Subhash Chandra, who owns the majority shares in Zee TV, has announced his intention of taking major stakes in the UNI.

Earlier in the day, Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi met UNI Chairman Manoj Santhalia and Mr Chandra and asked them to postpone the Annual General meeting (AGM) of the company by a month.

The AGM was scheduled for tomorrow where the deal was to be formalised.

UNI Team RP GC1904