Sukhdeep Kaur, a journalist with Hindustan Times, has claimed that she was transferred to Delhi by the media outlet in the middle of her children’s academic session after Captain Amarinder Singh, Chief Minister of Punjab, complained to the chairperson of the company against her.
I am forced to speak out in larger interest of media freedom and how governments are arm-twisting journalists. I was transferred to Delhi by HT from Punjab bureau in middle of my kids’ academic session. I was told @capt_amarinder has complained to the chairperson of the company.
— sukhdeep kaur (@sukhdeepkr) September 12, 2019
Kaur further claimed that her salary for the month of August was withheld after she refused to accept the transfer and her contract, which was due for renewal in September, hasn’t been renewed.
This was done at a time my contract was coming up for renewal in Sept. My August salary was withheld and on my refusing to accept the transfer, my contract has not been renewed. Should we choose to be silent and let those in positions of power ambush us?
— sukhdeep kaur (@sukhdeepkr) September 12, 2019
One of her reports from August speaks of an amendment to a bill that would have made the Punjab state government bear the tax liability for the perks enjoyed by Captain Amarinder Singh. The original bill passed by the Congress government earlier mandated that ministers in the state cabinet pay taxes on their own for the same.
While Hindustan Times is yet to issue a statement on the matter, it is a widely known fact that the nexus of Congress politicians and media houses run deep. While bigwigs in the media often accuse the BJP of undermining the media’s ability to report facts, Congress has long been known for gagging voices and using various tactics to create a compliant ecosystem.
