Hyderabad, May 2: The Telangana Urdu Working Journalists Federation has alleged discrimination in journalist accreditation under GO 252. The body urged the government to review the policy and ensure equal justice for all media sectors.
A delegation led by MA Majid, MA Qadeer Faisal, and Syed Ghouse Mohiuddin met Information Commissioner G. Mukunda Reddy, at the Secretariat. They raised concerns over alleged bias against Urdu, small, and medium newspapers, along with cable media and news agencies.
The federation stated that GO 252 and its subsequent amendments favour large newspapers and satellite channels. However, smaller and linguistic media organisations face restrictions in accessing accreditation cards.
Journalists seek equal accreditation rights under GO 252
According to the delegation, the policy uses circulation as the main criterion. Therefore, it creates sharp disparities in card allocation. For instance, a newspaper with slightly higher circulation gets significantly more cards than one with marginally lower numbers.
Moreover, medium range publications receive limited accreditation at state and district levels. In contrast, large organisations secure wider access across mandals and districts. As a result, smaller media outlets struggle to operate effectively.
The federation also highlighted concerns over Urdu media representation. They noted that Urdu serves as the second official language in Telangana and reaches nearly 15 percent of the population. Hence, comparing Urdu circulation with Telugu publications remains unfair.
In addition, the delegation flagged inconsistencies in policy implementation. They alleged that some large media linked agencies receive district level cards despite no provision in the policy. Meanwhile, eligible smaller agencies remain excluded.
Further, the federation criticised restrictions on non empanelled newspapers. Although GO 252 allows them eligibility, the online system does not permit applications. Authorities have also imposed extra conditions not mentioned in the policy.
The delegation demanded at least 15 mandal level cards for Urdu newspapers in each district. They also sought unconditional accreditation for small publications and cable media as in previous policies.
Commissioner G. Mukunda Reddy heard the concerns in detail and assured a review. The federation stressed that fair accreditation remains essential for journalists to perform their duties effectively. (Maxim News)
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