The Mumbai edition of the Hindu newspaper is on the verge of closure. The newspaper has asked its journalists to resign citing the financial situation of the company. The company also assured them to disburse salary for the next three months.
The lockdown due to the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic has hit many businesses. Due to the complete shut down in the last two months, many private entities are facing a gross financial crisis that created unemployment for thousands. Similarly, the impact can also be seen in media houses.
The companies are putting pressure on employees either to cut down their wages or resign. This is the reason that The Hindu, The Telegraph, and Hindustan Times have also sacked many of their employees. More than 100 journalists, sub-editors, and other employees have been asked to resign by their management in the various editions of The Hindu newspaper.
Now more than 20 journalists of Mumbai edition of The Hindu have been asked to resign by the company between 25 to 30 June. The employees are still waiting for a clear statement in this regard from their institution. It is being said that the Mumbai edition of the Hindu is on the verge of closure.
It is notable that The Hindu started the Mumbai edition in 2015 in which it hired several senior journalists. The email which was sent to the journalists asking for their resignation has surfaced on social media.
The above mail was sent to employees on 22 June from the Human Resource department of The Hindu. Citing the weak economic condition of the company, it is officially stated that the employees will be given a salary for three months along with the Dearness allowance and their service period will come to an end on July 1, 2020.
https://twitter.com/mondalsudipto/status/1275649896436117504?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwHowever, apart from writing, it is also being said that some employees were also terminated verbally. Press Council of India has taken Suo-moto cognizance with regard to terminate the services of journalists working at The Hindu office in Mumbai.
Justice CK Prasad, President of the Press Council of India taking Suo-moto cognizance of the matter expressed concern that a large number of journalists working in the daily newspaper ‘The Hindu’ in the Mumbai bureau were asked to resign from their posts. The Press Council also asked the editor of The Hindu, Regional General Manager of The Hindu Mumbai to issue a statement in this regard.