Tiranga TV to shut shop

In just six months of its launch, Tiranga TV, promoted by Congress leader Kabil Sibal and his wife, is said to have shut operations, triggering protests from its sacked employees.

In a series of tweets, senior journalist Barkha Dutta accused the channel of sacking 200 employees without due process and compensation.

An appalling situation in @NewsHtn promoted by @KapilSibal & his wife, where more than 200 employees have had equipment confiscated and face sackings without even a 6 month pay out. Man who acts holier than though in public has treated journalists in a hideous way

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) July 15, 2019

According to the sources, fired employees of Tiranga TV went to meet veteran journalist Shekhar Gupta at his office and submitted a memorandum to the @IndEditorsGuild.

In another tweet, Dutt said “Lastly, it would be easy for me to be silent. @KapilSibal owes a lot of us senior staff salary for a year and has refused to pay it. We will fight that legally. But what is more critical is 200 employees whose lives depend on this. Hope @IndEditorsGuild protects this staff.”

Lastly, it would be easy for me to be silent. @KapilSibal owes a lot of us senior staff salary for a year and has refused to pay it. We will fight that legally. But what is more critical is 200 employees whose lives depend on this. Hope @IndEditorsGuild protects this staff

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) July 15, 2019

Dutt also accused that she has been threatened with defamation.

BestMediaInfo.com tried to reach Tiranga TV officials for their comment but could not reach them.

Tiranga TV went on air on January 26, this year, using Harvest TV name. It is broadcast by Veecon Media and Broadcasting that also runs Kaatyayani channel. Within six months, the channel has closed down its operations due to paucity of funds. 

It is learnt that more than 70 staffers were terminated with one month salary as compensation and many journalists staged a protest against “evading Kapil Sibal” in front of the Press Club of India, Delhi recently.

Along with Dutt, many senior journalists including Karan Thapar and Maneesh Chhibber were associated with Tiranga TV on a three-year contract. Staffers say they all, including their senior colleagues, may approach court against the management’s decision to shut shop abruptly.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com