In a tragic development, Mr. T. Kumar, a Senior Photographer and Bureau Manager, died by suicide last evening in the UNI Chennai office. The 56-year-old Mr. Kumar , who was with UNI for more than three decades, leaves behind his wife, a daughter and a son. We have learnt that Mr Kumar’s wife had met with an accident a few months ago and he had applied for an amount of at least Rs. one lakh against his pending dues for her treatment. However he was sent a paltry sum of Rs. 25,000/- only. Also, Mr. Kumar’s daughter’s engagement was scheduled to be solemnised next week and it is learnt that he had applied for Rs. 5 lakh for the same, but the management was yet to respond. We demand that the death should be thoroughly investigated and that strict legal action should be taken against those found responsible for abetting the suicide.
We also demand that UNI should pay a compensation of Rs. 10 lakh immediately and clear all his legal dues within a week, failing which we will be compelled to launch an all-India level agitation. The incident has shaken up all the 250-odd UNI employees across the country, who are reeling under severe economic pressure due to the delay/non-payment of their earned wages for more than a decade now. There is a backlog of 60 months of salaries, yet the management’s callous attitude toward the dire crisis of the employees is unchanged. This month itself, a decision has been taken to stop payment of Rs. 10,000/- against the pending statutory gratuity, pending salaries and other legal dues payable to former employees. The UNI Board and management at the Head office, i.e. New Delhi, have created this crisis in the company due to which the employees are suffering. Against a 60-month salary backlog, the management has been doling out a sum of Rs. 15,000/- in lieu of monthly salaries. At superannuation, no employee gets gratuity, pending salaries and other legal dues.
It may be noted that UNI, a national news agency, is run by a Board of Directors. The Chairman is Sagar Mukhopadhyay of Manipal group, one of UNI shareholders. The other two directors are Shri Binod Mandal (Also, Head Legal and Group Company Secretary Manipal Group) and Shri Pawan Kumar Sharma. Shareholders include Jagran Prakashan Ltd, Kasturi & Sons Ltd, Express Publication (Madurai), HT Media Ltd, Statesman Ltd & Nava Bharat Press (Bhopal) Ltd, ABP PVt Ltd., and Times of India among others. UNI is controlled by mainly Manipal Media group. Mr. Mukhopadhyay became Chairman with a promise to revive UNI last year. Mr. Mandal and Mr. Sharma are also directly or indirectly connected to Manipal Group. The group which has not brought any fresh investments, is controlling day-to-day affairs of the agency. On the contrary they have burdened the agency with monthly 20 lakh (approximate) expenditure appointing more than 30 contractual employees on key positions with hefty paychecks. Thus, in a way they are directly responsible for the plight of employees.
