Journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta has resigned from his position as Editor of Economic and Political Weekly (EPW). The news of his resignation on Tuesday evening caused plenty of conversation and speculation on social media platform, Twitter.
His resignation came right after the Adani Group served a defamation notice to EPW for a story on how the government allegedly bent the rules for the former with regard to Special Economic Zones.
The government favour allegedly helped the Adani group to earn a refund on tax worth Rs. 500 crore.
Confirming the news of his resignation, Guha Thakurta, also an author, told The Hindu, “I have decided to spend more time in Delhi with my family. I was honoured and privileged to be its Editor for 15 months and a little longer.”
The Adani Group had served the defamation notice over an article that Guha Thakurta had authored with Abir Dasgupta, the Editorial Assistant, and two independent journalists Advait Rao Palepu and Shinzani Jain.
Reacting to the development, historian Ramachandra Guha said that the ‘EPW’s Trustees have behaved shamefully, letting down not just @paranjoygt but also the large cause of intellectual and press freedom.’
The 50-year-old prestigious journal is published by Sameeksha Trust. The EPW had responded to the Adani’s legal notice. But strangely, soon after responding to Adani’s notice, the EPW has removed its replies from its website.
Here are some of the reactions from Twitter;
Paranjoy Guha Thakurta quits as editor of Economic and Political Weekly over differences with board https://t.co/wPemhY38cp
— Supriya Sharma (@sharmasupriya) July 18, 2017
One of India's few truly muck-raking journalists, out of a job after taking on powerful vested interests. https://t.co/omg2FWeop1
— Stanley Pignal (@spignal) July 19, 2017
This has happened before.But if EPW trust succumbs to pressure, its horrible. let us fight this together. https://t.co/eftOFXXtws
— nikhil wagle (@waglenikhil) July 19, 2017