Producer of PM Modi's Mann ki Baat skips AIR meet to join protest against govt apathy

New Delhi, 04 Oct 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: Manohar Singh Rawat, the producer of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Mann Ki Baat, on Wednesday boycotted the meeting regarding the 50th edition of the monthly radio programme, which has been scheduled for November.

Rawat instead joined other employees of the All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan, who hit the street to attract government’s attention towards their longstanding demands.

 
According to National Herald, AIR Director General, Fayyaz Sheheryar, had called a meeting of seven programme officers today on October 3. However at least six of them including Sailaja Suman, Amlanjyoti Majumdar, Sanjiv Dosajh, Basudha Banerji, Shirley Jacob and Rawat, ignored the invite and instead participated in the protest rally that was followed by a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Rawat has served the All India Radio (AIR) for 31 years. For the past 21 years, Rawat, who is currently a Programme Executive, hasn’t got any promotion or hike.

“My demands are no different from those of others, who have been protesting against the government’s apathy,” Rawat told National Herald.

A resident of Uttarakhand, Rawat was appointed as Transmission Executive and he got his first and perhaps the last promotion, after the first 10 years of service.

The agitated employees, under the banner of Programme Staff Association All India Radio and Doordarshan, on Wednesday took out a protest rally from Rajghat to Jantar Mantar, where they held a demonstration and urged the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to fulfil their long pending demands without any further delay.

Talking to the National Herald, they alleged that in the past 10 years, hundreds of employees have retired or even died awaiting promotion. "There are hundreds of others who are similarly waiting for the past over 28 years", they said.

Vice president of the association, Santosh Nahar alleged that the Prasar Bharti—which took control of AIR and DD in 1997—has deliberately been delaying meetings of Departmental Promotion Committees besides keeping several posts of vacant.