Mediapersons threaten strike on UNI issue

New Delhi, Sep 29 (UNI) The Confederation of Newspaper and News agency Employees Unions, today threatened to go on a day-long country-wide strike soon if the government fails to intervene to abort the bid to buy a major stake in UNI by a Corporate House so as to maintain the independent character of the news agency.

The Confederation comprising five major media organisations gave the threat in view of the purchase of majority shares of UNI by Media west, headed by Mr Subash Chandra.

The Confederation consists of the All India Newspaper Employees Federation, National Union of the Journalists(NUJ), Indian Journalists Union, UNI Workers Union and Federation of PTI Employees Unions.

Confederation President M S Yadav said Mediapersons need to be vigilant against managements who create an ''unsavoury situation'' as a ploy to enable takeovers.

Mr Yadav, who is also the General Secretary of the PTI Federation, said the Confederation had also written letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi seeking their intervention without further delay to "save UNI". They said UNI had rendered a yeomen service for the cause of the nation ever since its inception nearly five decades ago.

Describing the developments in UNI as "extremly disturbing and distressful", Mr Yadav said PTI employees would fight shoulder to shoulder with UNI workers in their struggle for the "liberation of UNI from a Corporate House".

The remarks were made by Mr Yadav while participating in the ongoing agitation by UNI Employees.

While deploring the deal, JD(U) Rajya Sabha Member Ali Anwar said his party will fight in Parliament and outside for a review by the government of the deal.

Mr Anwar, a Journalist and a popular leader of the backward Muslim community, said the interests of minorities were deeply intertwined with the news agency retaining its independent character.

"We will join hands with other political parties to fight the case of independence of UNI and raise the issue in the Winter Session of Parliament", Mr Anwar said.

UNI TEAM AT KN1743