People's Democracy

STOP THROTTLING JOURNALISTS

DUJ Demands From HT Management

THE Delhi Union of Journalists, (DUJ) has called upon its members to be ready for multifarious forms of action with fraternal bodies to demand the reinstatement of 362 illegally sacked employees in the Hindustan Times Group and to press for an immediate ordinance to end contract  labour  in the newspaper industry as it was encroaching  on press freedom. A mass rally will take place tomorrow, followed up by other forms of action till October 2, according to the DUJ.

A statement by the DUJ president S K Pande on September 27, 2005  further called upon the government to immediately intervene following starvation deaths in the newspaper industry in Delhi and  threats to journalists. The demand is being raised by the DUJ in the backdrop of two dailies run by the Hindustan Times group calling several staff journalists and asking them to voluntarily tender their resignations. The journalists were told that if they submitted their resignations, management would consider re-hiring them on a short-term contract basis.

The DUJ president charged that the Hindustan Times management has shown contempt for its employees since it illegally sacked more than 360 employees in October last year in total contempt of the law in India. The government was silent for almost a year. In fact, last week, following the tragic suicide of one of the sacked employees, a mass protest was staged outside the newspaper offices at the call of the DUJ and the HT union. It was a suicide due to hunger, the DUJ added. Journalists are increasingly threatened with the contract card and still the Government is silent, the DUJ charged.

PRESS FREEDOM THREATENED

There is incontrovertible evidence that freedom even to associate with a union and discuss is being curbed by special security and specially fitted cameras, the DUJ  has charged. It has further sent telegrams to the Press Council of India.

The Confederation of Newspaper and News Agency Employees Organisations has meanwhile announced that they will mark the first anniversary of the mass sacking with a protest rally outside the offices of the newspaper on October 2 2005. Countrywide protests are expected according to reports with the DUJ.