[Letter to P N Dhar]

Summary

In the rendered pages, R.H. Goenka recounts a dispute over editorial control within the Express Group of newspapers. He says that editorial-policy guidelines were agreed in November 1975, circulated to editors, and subsequently followed by the group’s papers. Goenka distinguishes between constructive criticism of the Government and what he regards as unconditional support, arguing that a newspaper loses credibility if it abandons independent judgment.

In the rendered pages, Goenka describes a later demand that the Chairman, Shri Shukla, receive exclusive administrative control over the editorial department, including the power to dismiss, appoint, transfer, and issue day-to-day instructions to editors. He rejects the proposal on legal and professional grounds, warns that submitting to it would damage editorial morale, credibility, and possibly the newspaper’s finances, and reports threats involving his family and detention under MISA. The letter is addressed to Shri P. N. Dhar and is signed by R.H. Goenka; no title or unambiguous date is visible on the supplied pages.

Key points

• Goenka describes the formulation and circulation of editorial-policy guidelines for the Express Group.
• He argues that the Indian Express must retain credibility by exercising independent editorial judgment.
• He opposes a proposal to place complete administrative control of the editorial department in the Chairman.
• He says the proposal would allow the Chairman to dismiss, appoint, transfer, and direct editors.
• He presents the proposal as legally and professionally impermissible and potentially destructive of editorial morale and credibility.
• He reports that pressure on him included threats concerning his son and daughter-in-law being detained under MISA.