The National Commission for women has taken cognisance on a complaint filed against Tiranga TV promoter Promila Sibal accusing her of abusing female staff members of the channel including Barkha Dutt.
Received complaint from @BDUTT against Promila Saibal of @NewsHtn alleging her for abusing female staff members including Barkha. Taking cognizance on it.
— NCW (@NCWIndia) July 16, 2019
The NCW also clarified that they are not taking up the sacking of employees of the channel, it is only taking up the matter of outraging the modesty of women.
In a series of tweets posted yesterday, Barkha Dutt had alleged that journalists working at Tiranga TV were abruptly sacked, without any prior notice and they were not offered 6-months severance payout. She also alleged that senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal and his wife-Promila Sibal had referred to the female employees of their channel Tiranga TV as Kutiya or Bitch.
Worst of all, @KapilSibal & wife have referred to female staffers as “Kutiya”or Bitch. This is a fit case for NCW @sharmarekha & we will place signed affidavits to prove our case.
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) July 15, 2019
Barkha had mentioned in her tweets that the abuse meted out by Promila Sibal to the female employees is a fit case for NCW’s intervention. She affirmed that she will place signed affidavits to prove her case.
After the tweets of Barkha Dutt, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma had replied to her, asking her to send the details of the incident to her official email address.
Could you pl send me details on my email [email protected]
— rekha sharma (@sharmarekha) July 15, 2019
Barkha Dutt had also said that Kapil Sibal had threatened her of defamation suit for calling him Mallya. She had compared him with the fugitive liquor barron for not paying due compensation to fired employees and going to London. Dutt had said that she refuses to withdraw the comment, and will fight the case if required.
Barkha Dutt accused Kapil Sibal’s wife of being insensitive to the plight of employees. According to the former NDTV editor, Promita Sibal who runs a meat factory said, “I shut down factory without giving a paisa to labour, who are these journalists to ask for 6 months salary.” Kapil Sibal earns crores every day but he won’t pay 200 employees industry norm of 6 months or at least 3 months payout, ruining the lives of 200 plus people, she tweeted.
Later, in the evening, the crisis took an ugly turn when Kapil Sibal appointed bouncers at the Tiranga TV office to intimidate journalists who were sitting on a peaceful protest against the channel’s unprofessional conduct. Employees were apparently on an all-night sit-in dharna to demand a 6-month payout.
