IJU Condemns Closure Of Hindustan Times Editions

Hyderabad: The Indian Journalist (IJU) strongly condemned the abrupt closure of six editions of Hindustan Times at Bhopal, Indore, Ranchi, Kanpur, Allahabad and Varanasi from Monday, January rendering hundreds of working journalists and other media employees jobless.

In a statement issued here today, Indian Journalists Union (IJU) President SN Sinha and Secretary General Amar Devulapalli termed the closure of editions without proper notice was illegal and went against the labour laws. They pointed out that the Hindustan Times, which reported handsome profits quarter after quarter, has also closed down several bureaus in important centers sacking several journalists.

The action of the Hindustan Times management is illegal and an attack on the livelihood of working journalists and other newspaper employees.  It violates several labour laws including the Working Journalists Act.  We urge upon the Government of India and the concerned State Governments where the editions and bureaus closed, to force the management to re-open the illegally closed establishments”.

The IJU leaders expressed solidarity with the working journalists and other employees of the Hindustan Times and declared that they would launch country agitation along with the organizations of the newspaper employees.