Scribes urge CM KCR to keep his promises

Dharna Chowk: Speaking at the protest which was staged jointly by Telangana Working Journalists Federation (TWJF) and Hyderabad Union of Journalists (HUJ) here on Monday, various speakers demanded the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao to keep his promises made to journalists during Telangana movement and 2014 and 2019 elections. Hundreds of journalists participated in the protest headed by HUJ president E Chandrashekar at Dharna Chowk.

Speaking to media, TWJF president Mamid Somaiah condemned dictatorial approach of the state government towards journalists. He said that journalists were given new accreditation cards once in every two years, but the state government has been renewing the old cards instead of issuing new cards. Health cards issued to the journalists are not accepted by many government and corporate hospital as the government has not released funds to network hospitals, he lamented.

TWJF general secretary B Basavapunnaiah criticised the government for going back on its promise of issuing accreditation cards to all journalists. He accused the state government of showing prejudice against some TV channels and newspapers. He expressed his anguish at the indifference of the state government towards journalists.

"Commissioner of information department does not give appointments to us and when we approach Pragathi Bhavan to represent our problems, we were arrested by the police," he lamented. Several representations were given to the state government but there was no response from the government, hence, were forced to stage protests, he said. National leader of the federation P Anandam condemned the state government, which allocates land at cheap rates to seers, for its apathy towards journalists.

HUJ chairman E Chandrashekhar remembered the key role played by journalists in the Telangana movement. He termed it unfortunate that government was trying to suppress journalists who have played a key role in the movement. He alleged that at least 250 journalists died as health cards given to them were not accepted by many hospitals.

He demanded the CM to respond to the issues of journalists and address them at the earliest TWJF state vice president Pilli Ramchander, senior journalist leaders A Narsimha Rao, HUJ secretary BVN Padmaraju, managing president Vijayananda Rao, Gandra Naveen, Yadaiah, Nagavani, Damodar and others participated in the protest.