देश के संविधान से चलता है कानून, किसी अखबार के मालिक के चाहने से नहीं
कानून कोई अखबार मालिकों की बपौती नहीं है कि उसे जैसे मर्जी तोड़ मरोड़ दिया जाये. या फिर सुप्रीम कोर्ट जैसी संवैधानिक संस्था के आदेश अखबारों पर लागू नहीं होते हों. मजीठिया वेज बोर्ड को लागू करने के मामले में अखबार मालिकान जैसी कुटिल चालें चल रहे हैं वो किसी शातिर अपराधी की दिमाग की उपज ही हो सकती हैं जो कानून को धोखा देने के प्रयास में एकदिन कानून के लम्बे हाथों में फंसकर जेल की चक्की पीसने लगता है. एक बार हम फिर बतादें कि अखबार के मालिक वेजबोर्ड की सिफारिशें लागू करने से बचने का जितना भी उपक्रम क्यूँ ना कर लें वे बच नहीं सकते. आज वे भले ही धोखा देने का कितना ही प्रयास कर लें लेकिन कल उनको हेवी पेनल्टी के साथ मजीठिया वेज बोर्ड की सिफारिशों के सही लाभ देने ही पढेंगे.
ध्यान रहे कि वेज बोर्ड का गठन वर्किंग जर्नलिस्ट एक्ट के तहत ही होता है. दी वर्किंग जर्नलिस्ट्स (फिक्सेशन ऑफ़ रेट्स ऑफ़ वेजेस) एक्ट, 1958 की धारा 7 में स्पष्ट किया गया है कि ‘Working journalists entitled to wages at rates not less than those specified in the order. Subject to the provisions contained in Section 11, on the coming into operation of an order of the Central Government, every working journalist shall be entitled to be paid by his employer wages at a rates which shall in no case be less than the rate of wages specified in the order.
इसी तरह Working Journalists and Other Newspaper Employees (conditions of Service) and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1955 के अध्याय चार की अनुसूची में clause (d) of section -2 को स्पष्ट किया गया है.
(1) Two or more newspaper establishments under common control shall be deemed to be one newspaper establishment.
(2) Two or more newspaper establishments owned by an individual and his or her spouse shall be deemed to be one newspaper establishment unless it is shown that such spouse is a sole proprietor or partner or a shareholder of a corporate body on the basis of his or her own individual funds.
3) Two or more newspaper establishments publishing newspapers bearing the same or similar title and in the same language in any place in India or bearing the same or similar title but in different languages in the same State or Union territory shall be deemed to be one newspaper establishment.
2. For the purpose of paragraph 1(1), two or more establishment shall be deemed to be under common control-
(a)(i) Where the newspaper establishments are owned by a common individual or individuals;
(ii) Where the newspaper establishments are owned by firms, if such firms have a substantial number of
common partners;
(iii) where the newspaper establishment are owned by bodies corporate, if one body corporate is a subsidiary of the other body corporate, or both are subsidiaries of a common holding company or a substantial number of their equity shares are owned by the same person or group of person, whether incorporated or not.
(iv) Where one establishment is owned by a body corporate and other is owned by a firm, if a substantial number partners of the firm together of the firm together hold a substantial number of equity shares of the
body corporate.
(v) Where one is owned by a body corporate and the other is owned by a firm, if a substantial number of partners of the firm together hold a substantial number of equity shares of the body corporate.
(vi) where one is owned by a body corporate and the other is owned by a firm having bodies corporate as its partners if a substantial number of equity shares of such bodies corporate are owned, directly or indirectly or by the same person or group or persons, whether incorporated or not, or (b) where there is functional integrality between concerned newspaper establishments.
उपरोक्त रूलिंग से साफ़ है कि एक संस्थान के हर एडिशन के हिसाब से अलग-अलग यूनिट नहीं बनायीं जा सकती. इस देश का कानून देश के संविधान के मुताबिक
चलता है ना कि अखबार मालिकों कि मर्ज़ी के मुताबिक चलेगा.
