Protest outside Rahul’s residence over attack on journalists in Telangana

New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS) A group of journalists staged a demonstration outside the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s residence in the capital on Monday, to register their protest against rising incidents of assault on the scribes in Telangana. 

The protesting scribes from Telangana waved placards and posters to highlight multiple incidents of violence on the fraternity and also the state government’s 'apathy' in such cases.

The protest outside the Congress MP’s residence comes in the backdrop of the assault of two journalists in Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s native village Kondareddypalli in Nagarkurnool district, where they came under attack by 'ruffians with political blessings’, last week.

The two scribes named Avula Sarita and Vijaya Reddy were attacked on August 22, while they were reporting on farm loan waiver. They claimed that they were cornered and coerced by Congress workers to stop their reporting. When they resisted, the party workers apparently abused and roughed them up and also snatched their phones and cameras.

The two women scribes had to run to the police station to ensure their safety. One of them also shared a video on X and claimed that they were not spared at the police station as some Congress workers followed them there. She also shared photos of six Congress workers, whom she accused of assaulting and threatening them while reporting in the Chief Minister’s hometown.

The scribes had also appealed to the top Congress leadership to facilitate a free working environment in the state, where they could report matters, without fear and threats.

The recent spurt in violence on journalists in the Congress-ruled Telangana also earned condemnation from BJP leaders.

BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya slammed the Congress for its ‘disregard’ for press freedom and demanded why the Congress-ruled state was being hostile to media persons.

“What else we can expect from Cong-ruled Telangana when Rahul himself remains hostile to media, calls Congress beat-reporters and agents of BJP, for asking legitimate questions,” he wrote on X.

Meanwhile, netizens on social media also vented their anger over the harassment and humiliation of scribes while on duty. One user said that instead of acting on irregularities, the sponsored goons have been let loose to target the journalists while another user urged the scribes to approach the Human Rights Commission and NCW for suitable action.