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Does freedom of press mean -Right to insult Telangana?

By Vijayshree

A large section of National media is vociferously defending the rights of channels like TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyothi which openly denigrated, degraded Telangana, its culture and its people by mocking at the newly elected representatives of Telangana’s own assembly. The program on TV9 not just shocked us, but made us feel, that what was a moment of pride, for the new state and its people, was being soiled by a deliberate attempt to not just wound our pride but to make the wound bleed endlessly until, the MSOs decided we’ve had enough of these channels and God bless them, blocked these channels out.

Had these channels continued, we would’ve been daily reminded of our wound and I am sure, emboldened by their brazen act, they would have telecast even more hurting shows. Now, they continue to protest against their channels, being blocked out of Telangana and the Chief Minister of our state, Mr.KCR has only retaliated that anyone insulting Telangana, its language and culture will not be tolerated at any cost. He said –he does not mind being personally insulted, but will not take any insult to Telangana, lying down.

When KCR thus spoke, he spoke for us, the people of Telangana, and not for himself, so when Arnab Goswami decided to go overboard with his debate on freedom of press and the purported threat of our Chief Minister to this so called freedom of press, he re-opened that wound and tried to make it into a deep gash.

If Arnab chooses to equate freedom of press with a right to insult Telangana, as that is what the entire debate’s whole and sole aim was, then we would like to ask him, no constitution gives anyone such a right. I am sure you cannot go on calling Telangana people, as unlettered, lazy, drunkards, for eternity. We had thought that, after the formation of Telangana and its own elected government this would stop, but they chose to start the birth of our very state and its assembly, by running a program to humiliate us.

If the press starts thinking it has to get away with anything it writes or telecasts, then it would be a free-for all, with everyone insulting the other, with all impunity. In today’s context media is run by corporate houses which are invariably backed by some political party, so giving a complete free hand to such media houses, will only strengthen the hands of people who will seek to vilify the others who differ from their opinion.

Had Arnab been fair, he should have run a show on the translation of what TV9 show was about and why it incurred the wrath of the people and Assembly of Telangana. He never did that, instead he decided to do something with which he thought he could get away with, by getting hold of just that threat and then pursuing that theme of threat until all his and his media house’s and all the rag tag’s anger was spent on this, ‘How dare you threaten us, we are the holiest of the holy?’ And the worst part is, it indirectly means, ‘We will continue to humiliate, insult Telangana and its people and not even its Chief Minister dare to put us in our place.’

This is the truth behind the show and all the shows that the so called employees of the channels are putting up on the streets. We only wish to say that, ‘Yes, what our Chief Minister said was correct and represents our will and our thoughts. We will not bow before this pressure of the so called freedom of press, yes, write and show whatever you want, but we also have a right to react and defend and protect our own pride within the rule of the law.’

This is where the line should be drawn; you have your right to exercise your freedom, we have a right to defend ours and by which we mean to shut those channels violating our rights and anything else may be done, to stop you from equating freedom of press with freedom to insult Telangana.

Our State has been created on the graves of martyrs, young souls, many of whom died, because they believed in the falsehoods telecast by these very channels, whose freedom you are defending, with such impunity. We repeat, we will not take things lying down and you either fall in line or be prepared to be blacked out. This is the will and voice of people of Telangana, no one, not even your sacred tenet of Freedom of Press can stifle this voice.

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