Emergency era mindset of Congress govt.: BJP

Telangana BJP president N. Ramchander Rao strongly condemned the midnight arrest of three journalists of a private news channel at the airport, calling it a ‘serious attack on press freedom and democratic values’.

He said the incident exposes the true nature of the Congress government and reflects what he described as its ‘Emergency-era mindset’. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is following the pattern of ‘Emergency period suppression, comparing the arrests to actions taken during Indira Gandhi’s rule, he charged in a press statement on Wednesday.

Mr. Rao accused the Congress government of trying to ‘silence dissent through intimidation, censorship, and threats’, adding that while the BRS government imposed bans on news channels, the Congress has gone a step further by arresting journalists. He said targeting the press is a ‘grave violation: in a democracy and reiterated that the BJP firmly stands with media professionals and will oppose any attempt to misuse State machinery to curb press freedom.

In a separate statement, Union Minister for Coal & Mines G. Kishan Reddy demanded the immediate release of the arrested journalists and conduct an unbiased investigation by the special investigation team. It was not right to make arrests even before the investigation is complete which indicates that is a vengeful act, he said and advised the Congress government to desist from targeting the media.

Chief spokesman N.V. Subash too criticised the arrests and said the midnight arrest is a ‘direct attack’ on free speech and shows the government’s ‘intolerance’ to criticism and its misuse of State machinery to intimidate the media.

Only those who cannot face criticism resort to such coercive measures against journalists performing their democratic duty, he maintained in a press statement and accused Mr. Revanth Reddy of behaving like an ‘monarch’, warning that political arrogance has proven costly for leaders in the past. Mr. Subash said the government’s frustration stems from an empty exchequer and unfulfilled promises, and venting its anger on the media is a move that will only hasten its downfall.