Govt should withdraw media curbs in Secretariat: TPCC

Hyderabad: The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) strongly condemned the State government’s decision to enforce restrictions on media, inside the Secretariat. It demanded government to maintain status quo vis-a-vis media, lest it sends a wrong message to the people of Telangana.

Speaking to media persons, the official party spokesperson Mallu Ravi questioned the government’s decision to place restrictions upon entry to C-Block (Samatha) to journalists. Expressing reservations over the decision, he said that the ministers and officials should complete their private engagements at their houses, as the Secretariat is solely meant for addressing the people’s problems. “If the government wants to maintain transparency, then why are these restrictions on media? ” he asked.

While another party spokesperson, Addanki Dayakar lamented that several journalists, who were in the forefront of the Telangana struggle were silent over the issue. He wondered as to how the government was speaking about extending various sops like health card and housing to the journalists, while muzzling media’s voice. “It is high time the journalist unions which fought for achievement of separate State should begin another stint of effort for freedom of speech,” said Dayakar.