News India speaks on Rana Yashwant controversy

The ongoing dispute between senior journalist Rana Yashwant, former CEO and Editor-in-Chief of the Hindi news channel News India, and the channel's management appears to be taking a new turn. Following Rana Yashwant's statement on social media, the channel's management has now detailed its position on the matter, raising serious questions about the hiring process, employee joining, and the organization's administrative decisions.

Also read: Rana Yashwant called this decision the biggest mistake of his life, said this

The letter, written by the channel's chairman, Shailendra Sharma, claims that appointments at the organization were being made contrary to established rules and formal procedures. Management alleges that decisions such as adding a large number of employees and removing older employees were made unilaterally without the necessary documentation and approvals, complicating the organization's operations and responsibilities.

Read below the stand of News India Management on this entire controversy –

Respected elder brother,

Best regards.

Brother, I am writing this letter with extreme anguish and compulsion. The recruitment process at the institute was completely against the rules. People were being accepted solely on the basis of offer letters, even though the offer letters clearly stated that joining letters would be issued only after the necessary documents and formal agreements were completed.

I repeatedly requested, through email, and verbally, that employees not be allowed to start work at the institute until all their documents and agreements were complete. Despite this, approximately 45 people were added to the institute without prior information and without management approval.

Had the number been limited to 4-5 people, a solution could have been found through individual consultations, but the simultaneous presence of 45 people exacerbated the situation. The gathering in the newsroom had to be clearly told that the organization was in no position to pay salaries or take any responsibility until their documents were complete. All of you have been personally hired by Mr. Rana Jaswant, and therefore, the responsibility for your appointments and salaries rests with him; the organization has no official responsibility.

On the other hand, the organization's former employees were fired without a notice period and without informing management. This decision was also taken unilaterally. The former employees weren't even given a respectful farewell. Brother, if someone is financially weak and is fired without prior notice, whether they will receive blessings or curses—we can all understand that.

I myself am not regularly involved in the channel's operations, but I repeatedly urged that procedures and rules be followed. I also said that if everyone wants to be retained, they should be, I have no objection; but appointments should not be made without documentation and without following the legal process. Yet, my pleas were ignored.

Even on social media platforms—Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube—you can see that no news other than that of Mr. Rana and his team is prominently featured. Anyone who disagrees or disobeys his position is immediately removed.

Brother, an institution is not a private property that such major decisions can be made without discussion, consensus, and due process. There's a difference between ownership and management responsibility. Communication and transparency are essential before making decisions.

I have never seen a person who tries to justify every wrong in every situation. I urge you to read this entire matter seriously, understand it, and consider it objectively. My intention is not to insult anyone, but to protect the credibility of the institution and my own reputation.

Your younger brother,

Shailendra Sharma