Kurnool: Don't link GST to accreditations, say journalists at relay hunger strike

Kurnool: The president of Rayalaseema Journalists Forum, Bathina Naveen has alleged that the state government is suppressing the media for projecting anti- government activities. The government by bringing Government Order (GO) no. 142 has not accorded accreditations to the journalists. With the demand to accord accreditations to every working journalist the journalists of various daily, weekly and monthly periodicals have staged a relay hunger strike at dharna chowk on Wednesday.

Addressing the occasion Bathina Naveen said that the government is intentionally delaying to accord accreditations to small papers in the name of GST. He said the central government has clearly said that GST is not applicable up to Rs.50 lakh. Despite clear statements the state government is adamant to apply GST to small papers. He demanded the state government to accord accreditations without linking to GST else the journalists would be forced to intensify state-wide agitations.

The JAAP state general secretary, Chandrasekhar Reddy said that in addition to GST the state government has also introduced GO No.142. According to the GO circulation of 100 papers is compulsory at mandal level. He said even the big papers do not have that much circulation at mandal level. He said that accreditation is the right of every working journalist. He demanded the government to suspend GO no.142 and linking GST to small papers and accord accreditations to every working journalist.

Journalists Ananta Rajendra Prasad, Rama Chandra, Elizabeth Rai, Latha, Uma Shree, P Venkateswarlu, Banglakadi Shallanna, Basha and several other journalists participated in the relay hunger strike.