The protest against ban on two Telugu news channels in Telangana and the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s threat to “break the neck and bury” the media have drew flak from several quarters including from the Opposition.

The journalists of the two TV channels took to streets demanding the restoration of channels broadcast on Wednesday. About 70 protesters were arrested when they tried to hold a demonstration outside Raj Bhavan demanding the removal of ban on the broadcast of TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyothy channels, which were banned on June 16 following allegation that they had aired programmes “denigrating the Telangana dialect, sentiment and hurting the feelings” of the people of the State. The protesting journalists complained of police excesses as they were not allowed to submit a memorandum to the Governor.

Earlier, women employees of the two channels had demonstrated outside the camp office of the Chief Minister seeking Government’s intervention to order the Multiple System Operators to restore broadcast of the two channels.Reacting strongly to the protest by a group of journalists outside his camp office in Hyderabad and at a function in Warnagal, KCR said that he would not tolerate if the media tries to denigrate Telangana culture.

“If you target and write personally against KCR, he will not be afraid. But we will not tolerate at any cost if you broadcast programmes that attack Telangana state and insult its legislature,” he warned the media and asked it not to cross the line.

“Those who do not respect the self-esteem of Telangana or its people have no place here. As Chief Minister, I am cautioning you. We will break your neck. We will bury you and put you out of sight,” he said.The two Andhra based channels were taken off the air after they mocked the Telangana legislatures as “buffoons” as lumpen in June last during the first session of the State legislature.

“What kind of media culture is it”IJ KCR asked. “If media crosses limits we will not only block them, but we will be forced to take other course of action,” he said.State Minister for Information Technology K Taraka Rama Rao also faced the protest from journalist as they attended his press conference with their mouths covered with black cloths. When the journalists asked him to intervene in the matter, he asked the channels to go and settle the issue with the MSOs.

While Opposition BJP condemned the “undemocratic” language used by Rao at a function on Tuesday in Warangal, the Congress said the chief minister had “no clue about governance” and reminded him of the duty to safeguard media freedom.

However, Rao’s daughter and TRS MP K Kavita said the Chief Minister’s comments about the media should not be seen in isolation as the TV channels which have been blocked were “demeaning the legislative system of Telangana”.

“In Warangal yesterday, he (Rao) used undemocratic language. No Chief Minister can use this type of language. BJP condemns KCR’s statement. There is democracy and a system in this country. Nobody can take law and order into their hands. KCR is threatening the media, he is attacking mediapersons. The situation in the media is tense. He is threatening reporters and media managements... ‘If you don’t support TRS, we will see your end, we will close your channels, we will close your media’, He is doing that,” Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy told reporters.