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NEW
DELHI: Employees of All India Radio and Doordarshan today
called for repeal of what they described as ‘the outdated
and irrelevant Prasar Bharati Act’, and threatened direct
action if the Government failed to pay heed to their grievances.
The
employees under the aegis of the National Federation of Akashvani
and Doordarshan Employees - an umbrella body of 21 associations
representing about 38,000 employees – had held a three-day
relay hunger strike from 26 March in all state capitals to
demand either scrapping of the public service broadcaster
and go back to being a government media unit, or make suitable
amendments in the Prasar Bharati (Broadcasting Corporation
of India) Act 1990 to ensure they continue getting the benefits
they now enjoy.
 Speaking
at the start and conclusion of a march by the employees, several
of the speakers said that at least an announcement should
be made that the employees and the assets of the public service
broadcaster would remain with Government. Memorandums were
submitted to the Prime Minister and to Information and Broadcasting
Minister Priyaranjan Dasmnusi.
Even as over 2,000 employees marched from Doordarshan Headquarters
to Parliament street, they were addressed by some political
leaders and members of Parliament from major political parties.
Samajwadi Party member of Parliament Mohan Singh said that
it was the duty of the government to safeguard the interests
of the employees. He announced that he would bring forward
a private bill in the Lok Sabha for repeal of the Prasar Bharati
Act if necessary.
The rally was also addressed by Marxist MP Hannan Mollah and
Comminist Party of India National Secretary and MP D. Raja
who assured his party's total support in the struggle of the
employees. Autonomy did not mean giving away the assets of
Prasar Bharati, he said.
Mollah
expressed surprise that when the Government could move an
amendment to the Prasar Bharati in the case of just one officer,
why it had failed to do so for 40,000 employees. He said I&B
minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi had categorically given an assurance
that the amendment protecting the employees will be brought
in the present session of Parliament.
Similar Rallies to Raj Bhawan, Collectorate & offices
of the Sub Divisional Magistrates were held at state capitals,
district headquarters and talukas respectively throughout
the country.
The action followed the failure of the Group of Ministers
to take up their issue in its meeting late last month. The
action was taken barely six months after they had postponed
the agitation following the setting up of a Committee headed
by Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Asha Swarup,
on the eve of the meet of the GoM related to Prasar Bharati.
However, it is learnt that the meeting held on 30 March only
took up financial matters relating to the budget of Prasar
Bharati.
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