Journalists sacked, in Kantipur Publication

By a staff reporter

Kathmandu, Oct 18:There has been a big upheaval in the Kantipur Publications, including in its two dailies, Kantipur and Kathmandu Post with more than two dozen people either being shown the door or resigning voluntarily.

A source within the organisation revealed that above a dozen journalists in the two publications have been affected.

According to senior sub-editor of Kantipur Daily Balchandra Mishra, the publication has decided to relieve or accept the resignation of nine journalists of The Kathmandu Post and five from Kantipur from their jobs. He said some have already been handed over the termination letter from Wednesday, while some others have been forced to resign.

Kailash Siroyhiya, Managing Director of the Kantipur Publications, also accepted that some journalists are being relieved of their duties because of their job performances.

But he refused to disclose the number of journalists who would be sacked. However, he said this is being done according to the normal procedure of dropping those with unsatisfactory performances.

Meanwhile, it was revealed that personnel have been laid off in the distribution, publication and administration departments as well, because of financial difficulties and over-staffing within the publishing house. Mishra, who has been with Kantipur since its inception, said he was called today by the News Coordinator of Kantipur Daily, and was forced to resign. He also said he had been subjected to humiliation and mental torture so that he would be forced to quit. "We do not want to leave under undue pressure," he told Gorkhapatra, the sister publication of this daily.

Meanwhile, Suresh Acharya, President of Federation of Nepalese Journalists, and Central President of Nepal Press Union Kul Chandra Wagle have expressed their dissatisfaction against the unlawful and unreasonable removal of journalists.

Some journalists from Kathmandu Post, who reportedly had been sacked, informed that they had resigned voluntarily. One even said she did not know about the management’s decision.

Meanwhile, when asked whether the sudden and unjust removal of the journalists would not contradict with the Working Journalists Act and also against the Trade Union Act, Sirohiya claimed that the Publication has been the first and foremost follower of those Acts. He said those with unsatisfactory performances should leave.

Regarding the removal of the journalists just before Dashain, he said this had been done according to the recommendations of their department chiefs. But he said they are being given a one-month allowance for Dashain. He also denied the charge that the laying off was because of financial difficulties and over-staffing.

Meanwhile, the FNJ President said the removal of the journalists when Dashain was at hand was totally unlawful and unjust. Wagle also said the Press Union would oppose such acts.

This is not the first time such abrupt removal has taken place in the Kantipur publication. Previously, two journalists — Raghu Mainali and Shrilala Shah — were also sacked unlawfully. Although the court had reverted the decision and asked for their reappointment, the Kantipur Publications has not abided by the court’s decision.

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