When it comes to media management, the Revanth Reddy-led Telangana Government seems to be employing the proverbial carrot-and-stick approach. Journalists and media houses who speak on behalf of the people of Telangana and highlight the failures of the Congress government are being hounded and attacked. On the other hand, attempts are being made to give sops to certain journalists and media houses to ‘soften’ them and secure positive coverage.
Incidentally, this trend began as soon as Revanth Reddy’s government was sworn in. In the first week after the new government took over, Siddhireddy Srinivas Reddy, a freelance journalist, was physically attacked by Congress MLA Mynampalli Rohith. That the brazen attack happened in the corridors of the Secretariat, and that the police refused even to file an FIR, was an early indicator of the Congress government’s future attitude towards the media.
What followed were a series of physical attacks and police cases against journalists who were either critical of this dispensation or merely reporting public reactions to the Revanth Reddy Government’s failure to honor the 420 promises made during the Assembly elections.
Youtubers Shankar Goud (Newsline Telugu) and Chiluka Praveen (U News) were physically attacked by unknown goons from the ruling party in the heart of Hyderabad. Two women journalists, Saritha Avula (Telugu Scribe) and Vijaya Reddy (Mirror TV), were attacked by Congress goons in Kondareddypalli, the native village of CM Revanth Reddy.
Their fault? Trying to elicit public opinion on the farm loan waiver initiative. The fact that the Congress goons attacked these two women journalists a second time inside the police station, when they went there to file a complaint, is a blatant example of how the police department is working hand-in-glove with the ruling Congress government. What’s more ironic is that an SC/ST atrocity case was booked against Saritha and Vijaya Reddy based on the complaint of the very goons who had attacked them!
There are many such examples of how the Revanth Reddy government is using a disproportionate amount of force against journalists who are reporting the people’s voice. Akula Srinivas Reddy, who runs a YouTube channel named TS24 News, was picked up by Medak Police based on the complaint of Medak MLA Mynampalli Rohith and was tortured in custody.
In another case, Gowtham Goud from the Telugu Scribe YouTube channel was picked up at Bengaluru airport for posting a video of a hapless farmer who said KCR should come back because the current Congress government is not helping the farmers. The fact that the Telangana police issued a Lookout Circular (LoC) to arrest a journalist just for posting an innocuous video online shows the extent to which this government is willing to go to gag the media.
Lookout Circulars are generally issued for accused individuals involved in serious crimes or financial irregularities. That the Telangana Congress government deems it fit to arrest journalists using LoCs is a worrisome trend. While these are some examples of the crackdown on journalists, on the other hand, the Revanth Reddy government is also setting new trends in extending the famed ‘carrots’ to some pliable journalists.
Most notably, the erstwhile Editor of an English newspaper was included in two foreign junkets undertaken by CM Revanth Reddy. The fact that this particular Editor was doubling up as a media advisor to the Congress Party raises important questions about propriety and media ethics.
Right to Information petitions filed asking on what criterion this Editor was chosen as a member of Telangana CM’s delegation were summarily rejected. After questions were raised about personal favors to the Editor of this newspaper, the said newspaper asked the Editor to resign. Unsurprisingly, that person was immediately rehabilitated as Media and Communication Director in the State Government.
In August of this year, CM Revanth Reddy’s brother, Anumula Kondal Reddy, created a stir when photos of him holidaying in Australia went viral on social media. What’s interesting is that half a dozen journalists from Telangana were also seen enjoying themselves with Kondal Reddy. This trip raised eyebrows in the state and was naturally seen as a sop to keep media friends in good humor.
More recently, the State Government found itself on a sticky wicket concerning the River Musi Beautification Project, undertaken at an estimated cost of a whopping Rs. 1,50,000 crores. The reckless demolitions of houses belonging to the poor and middle-class as part of this Project have led to widespread condemnation and protests.
Unable to wriggle out of this mess, the PR managers of the Revanth Government thought of a magic pill to reduce the negativity around the Musi Beautification Project — a foreign jamboree for select journalists.
A study tour was immediately organized to Seoul by the Telangana Government. This delegation consisted of almost 25 people, of which about 16 were journalists from mainstream media. This latest move by the Congress Government in Telangana, seen as another attempt to soften the media, is being widely criticized by the people of Telangana.
Instead of focusing on good governance and fulfilling the 420 promises it made to the people of Telangana, the Revanth Government seems to be excessively focused on managing the media and social media narrative. Meanwhile, public anger is ready to boil over in Telangana. Very soon, the ruling dispensation will understand that such short-term, band-aid techniques will not work.