Agonising wait on for 200 Tiranga TV staffers over pending dues

The agonising wait for nearly 200 HTN Tiranga TV employees to get their pending dues continued on Tuesday as there was no clarity from the management of the channel on the amount for the severance package.

According to sources, the management in the meeting with department heads of the TV channel on Monday offered to pay 15-day extra pay which was not acceptable to the employees.

The employees spent Monday night in office, protesting against the channel and its owner Kapil Sibal and his wife.

"It's already been 24 hours! We @NewsHtn employees spent the entire night in office! @KapilSibal We were told that management would get back to us by12 PM today with a decision on our Salaries...but still no response! How long are we supposed to stay here? Answer us!" tweeted an employee who is a correspondent at Tiranga TV.

Anathor staffer tweeted: "After not addressing the staffers in regards to their severance pay, @KapilSibal has sent bouncers to intimidate the employees who are quietly sitting in the office on a peaceful protest! Creating fear, intimidating journalists..what next?"

The employees also shared a picture of bouncers sitting in the office lobby on Twitter.

The issue came to light when journalist Barkha Dutt opened a scathing attack against Sibal and his wife on Twitter.

In a tweetstorm, Dutt who is one of the senior channel executives accused Sibal and his wife of not paying 200 employees at their venture, including threatening her with defamation for supporting the staff.

"Bouncers at @NewsHtn office sent in by @KapilSibal and wife tweet protesting colleagues who are on an all night sit in dharna demanding a six month pay out. Need I say more," Dutt further tweeted.

Employees told IANS on the condition of anonymity that 40-50 workers have already been sacked.

"We the employees of @NewsHtn won't leave Office till @KapilSibal you agree to our demands. We are still waiting for a response. No word yet...what are you waiting for?" tweeted a staffer.IANS