Sr.DCM/RTM misbehaved with SrPRO/RTM Jitendra Kumar Jayant
Manhandled, abused and used unparliamentary language against him by Sr.DCM
Ratlam : On 18.01.19 Sr.DCM/RTM Sunil Kumar Meena while at Indore Railway station for an Inaugural function, summoned Sr. PRO Jitendra Kumar Jayant. Jayant who was busy preparing for the same function reached at the platform in some time after finishing the work.
As Jayant reached on the platform and met Sr. DCM, the Sr. DCM Meena publicly started abusing Jayant and used unparliamentary language in front of officers, subordinates, and passengers. Jayant objected to such behavior and explained why he got delayed in reaching the platform from his office. Sr. DCM didn’t stop with his abusive behavior and pushed Shri Jayant and manhandled him and asked other commercial officials to throw him out of the station.
After some time Jayant complained of chest pain and uneasiness and was attended by railway doctors. On initial diagnosis, his BP was found to be abnormally high and was immediately shifted to private hospital where he has undergone angioplasty operation.
The PRO’s on Indian Railways are working under tremendous pressure. The role of publicity in railway working has increased manifold but the support and set available for a PRO is the same.
Most of the divisions have a single post of PRO with no inspector or clerk. Few better off divisions have at the most one inspector and one clerk and that’s called a whole PR department for the division. The responsibilities vis a vis the set up are quite high. These are very crucial and important for railways.
Be it an inaugural event, a conference, a parliamentary committee, making a short film, making brochures, booklets, reports, rejoinders and many more, the PRO is expected to deliver, though he doesn’t have any set up for the same.
There are many daily jobs (daily includes Sat, Sun and all holidays) such as scanning papers and sending news clips early in the morning, making press releases on daily basis and sending to media, answering media queries on a real-time basis and collecting information form all departments for these queries. It may be noted that replies are to be given to press immediately else a distorted and factually incorrect information will be published with remark PRO was not available for comment. Even when on leave or vacation a PROs continues to carry out these functions as there is no substitute available in divisions.
With the advent of social media, a PRO has to monitor the social media 24×7 and post positive news extensively on various social media platforms.
These all jobs are to be performed with almost no support from other departments and there is no scope for errors. The commercial department treats a PRO as an intruder while other departments maintain a hands distance thinking a PRO is responsible for their department’s negative coverage in media.
The PRO over Indian Railways is a cadre which shoulders several high profile responsibilities and is treated as indispensable but is not awarded even the basic incentive of promotions. Most of the PROs over Indian Railways are lingering in same initial grade since past 15-20 years without a single promotion. The motivational level is too low but the delivery expectations are quite high.
The PROs are slowly developing a sense of discontent, which if not looked into will lead to affecting the working and ultimately the railway’s image.
Many PROs Version
A bitter truth, and it’s an alarm for all of us, as we all are fed up by the negligent & arrogant attitude of several Rly Board, Zonal and Divisional authorities towards entire PR fraternity. Almost everybody in management takes us for granted.
Ab to YELGAAR hona hi chahiye, kyonki AAKROSH KA JWAALAMUKHI har PR Official ke seene mein lagatar bhadak raha hai.. aur kabhi bhi BADA VISFOT ho sakta hai..!!