Journalist accreditation cards issue raised by Harish Rao
journalist accreditation cards | Hyderabad, Dec. 27: Former minister Tanneeru Harish Rao on Saturday questioned the treatment of desk journalists and demanded immediate action on the issue of journalist accreditation cards across Telangana.
Speaking to the media, Harish Rao said desk journalists staged protests before district collectorates statewide. He said journalists took to the streets due to denial of their rights.
Moreover, he questioned why desk journalists faced arrests while seeking accreditation cards. Therefore, he termed the action unjust and undemocratic.
Harish Rao said Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had promised to protect the right to question authority.
However, he alleged that the same government ordered arrests of journalists demanding legitimate rights.
As a result, he said the situation has raised concerns over press freedom. He demanded the immediate release of all detained journalists.
He recalled that during the BRS government, the state issued accreditation cards to more than 26,000 journalists. He also said the earlier government created a Rs 100 crore corpus fund for journalist welfare. Hence, he argued that institutional support existed earlier.
Journalist accreditation cards issue sparks statewide protests
Harish Rao alleged that after the Congress government assumed office, the number of journalist accreditation cards fell sharply.
Harish said the government reduced the count to nearly 10,000. Therefore, thousands of journalists now face exclusion. He added that desk journalists suffered the most under the new policy.
He demanded that journalist accreditation cards be issued to all eligible journalists without discrimination.
Rao said journalism plays a vital role in democracy. Moreover, he stressed that desk journalists contribute equally to news gathering and dissemination. Hence, he rejected any distinction that sidelines them.
Harish Rao also demanded an immediate amendment to Government Order number 252. He said the current order restricts access to accreditation cards unfairly.
Therefore, he urged the government to revise the policy after consultations with journalist bodies. He added that policy decisions must support, not suppress, the media.
Journalist accreditation cards | Harish warned
Harish warned that denial of journalist accreditation cards would weaken democratic accountability. He said journalists act as a bridge between the government and the public. Consequently, restricting their rights harms transparency. He urged the administration to correct its approach.
Former minister said protests reflect growing frustration among journalists. He said the government must listen instead of responding with force. Meanwhile, he reiterated that peaceful protest is a constitutional right. He called on the government to uphold democratic values.
Journalist accreditation cards issue has now become a major topic of political debate in Telangana. However, the state government has not issued an official response so far.
As discussions continue, journalist associations are expected to intensify their demands for policy correction.
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