Scribes flay AP CID act, term it unwarranted

NOTICE TO T NEWS, SAKSHI

Say it is an onslaught on freedom of press; a desperate move to divert attention from the scam

Hyderabad: T News is unlikely to reply to the notices served by AP CID on Friday night, according to sources. The CID had served notices to T News channel and Sakshi CEO for broadcasting an audio tape which purportedly contained the telephone conversation between nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. The notice was issued under the Cable Act by AP CID Assistant Commissioner of Police Ramana.

In its notice, the AP Police alleged that T New channel broadcast had damaged the reputation of Chandrababu Naidu. Protesting against this move of the AP government, journalists on Saturday held protest across Telangana State and set ablaze the effigies of AP Chief Minister.

Later at a round table conference, several senior journalists termed the issue of notices by Andhra Pradesh police as a desperate move by AP government. Speakers from different media houses and journalist organisations termed the issue of notices as an onslaught on freedom of press, and demanded immediate withdrawal of the notices and an unconditional apology.

Narayana Reddy of T News said the notice had been served at midnight, and at a time which he said was in clear violation of Section 8 of the AP State Reorganisation Act about which AP government had been crying hoarse. Telangana State Press Academy Chairman Allam Narayana, while condemning the issue of notices to the news channels, said the issues of the notices should be seen in a larger context of efforts to establish political hegemony in one or the other form, to prove the creation of separate Telangana was a failed experiment.

Executive Editor of Sakshi Dilip Reddy said that issue of notices was meant to terrorise the media and an attempt to divert the attention from the cash-for-vote case in which the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister got entangled. He also called issue of notices as an act of irresponsibility and meant to instigate rivalry among people between the two States.

Senior journalist Vinay Kumar said the issue of cash-for-vote that took place in Telangana was not an isolated incident and it was there for last 20 years. He further said instead of taking on the media, Naidu should try to use his good offices in bringing amendment to a the existing weak anti-defection law, that had been empowering horse-trading, and to remove the powers of the speaker, in deciding such petitions falling under his jurisdiction.

Senior Journalist Tankasala Ashok said he had never seen Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in such a disparate situation. Earlier, CPI national secretary K Narayana found fault with the Andhra Pradesh government for issuing notices to T News channel. “This is a direct attack on Fourth Estate by the AP government, he said.