Advocate Dogra Harish Kaila, President of Nami Dogri Sanstha, today expressed deep concern over the growing irregularities, mismanagement, corruption, and anti-national activities at AIR, Jammu and DDK, Jammu. He said that despite submitting multiple complaints to the Directorate and CEO, no impartial enquiry has been initiated by Prasar Bharati authorities, raising serious questions about transparency, governance, and the integrity of these institutions.
He stated that two officials were promoted as ASDs through questionable means. One officer, originally a LDC later converted to Transmission Executive, allegedly submitted false certificates and was promoted without possessing any real understanding of programme formats. Shockingly, this officer, despite earlier submitting medical documents citing serious illness to secure a peaceful posting, was later given the crucial dual charge of DDK Jammu and AIR Jammu. Yet, under her leadership, not a single credible programme has been produced, reflecting the rot and decay that has set into these institutions.
Advocate Dogra Harish Kaila further alleged that the division of work at DDK Jammu between two ASDs was a calculated move to facilitate rampant corruption. According to him, one officer is deeply involved in minting money through unethical practices, allegedly sharing the proceeds with higher-ups, while the other officer has been left to manage the remaining functions. This gross abuse of office is a betrayal of public trust and a complete mockery of Prasar Bharati’s mandate as a public broadcaster.
He also raised grave concerns about the period during V.K. Sambyal’s tenure, where anti-national songs were allegedly performed during official concerts at the Raj Bhawan (Governor House), Tigar Auditorium Jammu and even Music Concert at Abhinav Theatre. He named individuals like Renu Raina Bhat, Rajesh Gupta, and Sammual Masih in these serious allegations, noting particularly that Mr. Sammual Masih has been fraudulently drawing a hefty salary without playing Tabla for the past 15 years. Furthermore, he pointed out that Punjab-based so-called music artists were arbitrarily approved without any proper verification of their Aadhaar cards or identity documents, who are very close to the so-called Tabla player and their work details were suspiciously shifted to Punjab-based AIR stations, raising the specter of financial irregularities and favoritism.
Adding another dimension to the growing list of scandals, Advocate Dogra Harish Kaila highlighted the deeply troubling irregularities surrounding the recent recruitment of Newsreader-cum-Translator (Dogri) at Akashvani Jammu. He pointed out that cultural activist Mohd. Yaseen was asked by Assistant Director S. Gulshan Raina to file an RTI against his own department after observing glaring malpractices in the Dogri section’s recruitment process. The RTI response unearthed shocking details: the involvement of contractual employees in conducting critical selection processes, misuse of esteemed academic figures’ names without consent, selective evaluation of candidates, and blatant procedural violations. Despite overwhelming evidence, no action has been taken to annul the tainted recruitment, nor has any official inquiry been launched, further eroding the credibility of Prasar Bharati’s Jammu operations.
He also added that there should be a complete check on the contractual employees in Dogri and Gojri Sections who are working outside their own institutions without prior permission from the authorities, check them and see their account statements; if any found guilty they should be banned and shunned out from the Prasar Bharati.
Advocate Dogra Harish Kaila demanded that an immediate and impartial enquiry be initiated into all these irregularities, including the corrupt appointments, anti-national performances, and the fraudulent Dogri NRT recruitment last year. He emphasized that Prasar Bharati must verify all educational and medical certificates submitted by officers, terminate those involved in corruption and favoritism, and remove individuals who authorized and approved anti-national performances. Immediate steps must also be taken to rectify the injustices in the Dogri section’s recruitment process, and fresh selections should be carried out under strict transparent guidelines.
Expressing his deep disillusionment, Advocate Dogra Harish Kaila made it unequivocally clear that he would not appear for any auditions or participate in any official activities organized by AIR Jammu until strict corrective measures are taken. He warned that Prasar Bharati must uphold the highest standards of nationalism, accountability, and public service, as expected from a national institution. If these issues continue to be neglected, he declared that he reserves the right to escalate the matter to the highest constitutional authorities of the country.
Advocate Dogra Harish Kaila concluded with a stern message: “Prasar Bharati must cleanse itself of the corrupt and anti-national elements festering within its Jammu units. The people of Jammu and Kashmir will not tolerate any attack on their cultural integrity, linguistic pride, or public trust.”