N Chandrababu Naidu Government’s move of banning the telecast of YS Jaganmohan Reddy owned Telugu TV channel Sakshi in Andhra Pradesh has evoked a strong reaction from the Opposition parties and the journalist community.
Taking a leaf out of the book of KCR Government in Telangana which had blocked the telecast of two critical Telugu news channels TV9 and Andhra Jyothi, AP Government has also cracked down on Sakshi TV owned by the leader of Opposition in the State assembly YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
The banning of Sakshi Channel in Andhra Pradesh coincided with the Kapu community leader Mudragada Padmanabham going on an indefinite fast a week ago demanding reservation for his caste. In Hyderabad journalists of several organisations took out a protest rally from Press Club to Raj Bhavan shouting slogans against the move of Naidu Government. A delegation met the Governor ESl Narasimhan urging him to intervene and take action against the undemocratic act of the Government.
Editorial Director of Sakshi Media Group K Ramchandra Murthy warned that if such actions of the government were not condemned and resisted then it can happen to any news organization in any state of the country. Alleging that the TDP government was targeting Sakshi TV as it was exposing the misdeeds of the state government, he said, “it is a clear case of anarchy. All the democratic forces should oppose it unanimously”.
Senior leader of Indian Journalists Union D Amar said that the union will take up the issue with the Press Council of India.
Blocking of Sakshi TV channel came close on the heel of the state finance minister Y Ramakrishnudu threatening the take over of Sakshi Daily newspaper and TV Channel very soon on the ground that its owner Jaganmohan Reddy had used illgotten money to run them.
He said that under a new act, enacted by the state and approved by the President the state government can take over any property attached by the Enforcement Directorate.