Network18's editor resigns alleging he was forced to stop his book on Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi: Senior digital journalist Dayashankar Mishra has reportedly submitted his resignation to the Network18 management, where he served as the Executive Editor (Digital). He has alleged that he had to resign because his employers were unhappy with him writing a book on Rahul Gandhi.
Dayashankar Mishra is currently in the spotlight for his upcoming book focused on Rahul Gandhi, scheduled for release in December. Mishra revealed on his 'X' handle that Network18 asked for his resignation if he intended to proceed with the book. He claimed that although he had the option to withdraw the book and save his job, he chose to stand with the truth and continue writing.
Making this revelation in a detailed note, Mishra expressed his surprise at the challenges associated with presenting the truth about Rahul Gandhi. He asked why, in a time when there is a competition to write about those in power, compiling and presenting the thoughts, vision, and determination of a public policy thinker would create such trouble.
“I had no idea how much trouble writing the truth on Rahul Gandhi would create. At a time when there is a competition to write epics on those in power, I thought why would anyone bother to compile and present the thoughts, vision and determination of a public policy thinker?” he added.
पहले इस्तीफ़ा, फिर किताब :
— Dayashankar Mishra (@DayashankarMi) November 22, 2023
राहुल गांधी पर सच लिखना कितनी मुश्किलें खड़ी करेगा, मुझे बिल्कुल अंदाज़ा नहीं था। ऐसे समय जब सत्ताधीशों पर गाथा-पुराण लिखने की होड़ लगी हो, मैंने सोचा था कि एक लोकनीतिक विचारक की सोच, दृष्टि और दृढ़ता को संकलित कर प्रस्तुत करना किसी को क्यों… pic.twitter.com/oEroAWRP1i
Responding to Mishra's claims, Network18 released a statement on Thursday, dismissing them as a publicity stunt. The company stated that Mishra violated company regulations by not seeking permission before writing a book or contributing outside the organization. According to Network18, Mishra was informed that he should adhere to the company's norms when he announced his book, scheduled for release in December.
Having been with Network18 for more than four and a half years, Mishra previously held the position of Editor (Languages) at the digital wing of the Zee Group, contributing to the expansion of the Hindi digital version of Zee News and other Indian languages during his two-year tenure.
Prior to his association with the Zee Group, Mishra served as an editor at the Hindi website of the NDTV Group. In 2016, while at NDTV, he initiated a series against war during the surgical strikes, earning appreciation from academicians, sociologists, and critics.
With nearly two and a half decades of experience in journalism, Dayashankar Mishra has worked in various regions, including Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, and Jammu and Kashmir. His interests encompass study, travel, and communication. Mishra is recognized for his contributions to social and development journalism, having received the United Nations Population Fund award in 2008 for his research and study on manual scavenging societies. Additionally, he was granted a fellowship on the same subject from NFI, Delhi, in 2009.
News18 statement about the false and misleading claims by Mr Dayashankar Mishra: pic.twitter.com/Cuo5Jd5LRb
— News18 India (@News18India) November 23, 2023
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Air India's A350 aircraft enroute to London faces tech issue; returns to Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): Air India's A350 aircraft enroute to London Heathrow returned to the national capital due to a technical issue on Thursday afternoon after being airborne for nearly seven hours.
The same A350-900 aircraft VT-JRF had faced a technical issue on March 15, following which the plane operating the flight from New York to Delhi was diverted to the Irish town of Shannon, sources said.
An Air India spokesperson said its flight AI111, operating from Delhi to London on Thursday, made a precautionary air-return to the national capital following a suspected technical issue.
"The aircraft landed safely and consistent with Air India's high safety standards, it is currently subject to extensive technical evaluations, which will require additional time to complete," the spokesperson said in a statement.
According to the sources, noises were heard in the aircraft following which it was diverted.
The spokesperson also regretted the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to the unforeseen situation and said the airline was making every effort to ensure passengers are able to continue their journey to London at the earliest.
Details about the number of passengers onboard could not be ascertained.
The aircraft operating the flight AI111 was airborne for around four hours before the decision was taken to divert the plane when it was in the Saudi Arabia airspace. In total, the plane was airborne for nearly seven hours before landing back in the national capital, as per information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com.
The flight had taken off from Delhi around 6 am on Thursday and landed back at about 12.30 pm.
Air India started operating A350-900 planes from January 2024.
