Pre-poll gift to govt staff/pensioners?: Biased reporting
Biased reporting
Open the link below to read the published version of my letter responding to the Business Line report (February 20) describing release of DA/DR payable to central government employees/pensioners/family pensioners as pre-poll gift:
M G Warrier
February 20, 2019
Open the link below to read the published version of my letter responding to the Business Line report (February 20) describing release of DA/DR payable to central government employees/pensioners/family pensioners as pre-poll gift:
M G Warrier
Biased reporting
This refers to the Business Line Delhi Bureau report “In pre-poll gift to
govt employees, dearness allowance hiked by 3%” (HBL, February 20). Among several
cabinet decisions announced on Tuesday, the report chose the six-monthly
adjustment of Dearness Allowance to government employees and dearness relief to
pensioners and family pensioners which became due effective January 1, 2019 owing
to variation in the six-monthly average rise/fall in Consumer Price Index (CPI)
which was made as required under the Central Pay Commission report accepted by
GOI long back. Calling this adjustment in DA/DR a pre-poll gift is unsympathetic,
unfortunate and unethical from reporting angle.
In India, the entire media remains monopolized by media houses ,most of
which have allegiance to private sector interests. While the motive behind
opposing wage rise in the public sector and for employees in the organized
sector is understandable, payment of wages/pension which has become due by
government being described as “pre-poll gift” is unacceptable.
M G Warrier, Mumbai
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