Hyderabad: Demanding that the State government extend help to all the families of deceased journalists, the Telangana State Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ) and Indian Journalists Union (IJU) have warned State government that they would be on warpath if neglects the welfare of journalists.
Speaking to the media at Basheerbagh Press Club here on Tuesday, TUWJ advisor K Srinivas Reddy and IJU secretary general Devulapally Amar lamented that it was sad that the state government was adopting delaying tactics in providing facilities to journalists and said that the journalists in Telangana state were not in a position to enjoy the schemes achieved in united Andhra Pradesh. They warned the state government that they will chalk out an action plan for waging movement in case the government maintains silence in solving the problems of the journalists.
Alleging that issuing of accreditation cards and health cards has become a haphazard one, the TUWJ leaders informed that only 4800 journalists received health cards as against 11,000 journalists received accreditation cards last year. On the other hand, only 60 percent of health cards issued this year when compared with last year, they said and alleged that the remaining 40 percent journalists were not even received any message from Information and Public Relations Department regarding health cards renewal. About 20 journalists, who suffered accidents and ills, died as they failed to receive costly treatment as the health cards were not renewed. This year, only 20 percent journalists, among who got accreditation cards newly, received messages regarding health cards. The situation turned worst though the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced that accreditations cards would be issued to all journalists though they have no accreditation cards but in practice the all accredited journalists didn’t get health cards, they alleged.
Claiming that confusion took place in issuing accreditation cards to journalists this year, Srinivas Reddy and Amar said that the accreditation committees meetings were not conducted properly in several districts. There were no Information and Public Relations officers in some districts, they pointed out. They ridiculed that the appointment of Mining Department’s official as an official of Medak district I&PR official shows as to how the state government looking after the welfare of the journalists. They said that the state government has extended financial assistance only to the families of 60 journalists out of 440 families of died journalists, who died in accidents and with ailments, in a grand program held at Janahitha Bhavan. They questioned the state government to tell as to how far it was fair on the part of it to say that it will extend financial help only to the families of journalists died after the formation of separate Telangana state. “Whether the Andhra government extend financial assistance to the journalists died before the formation of separate State?”, they asked.
It was atrocious on the part of the state government as it was least bothered about the family of Namasthe Telangana reporter of Dubbaka, in Siddipet district, Laxma Reddy, who died due to heart attack. They reminded that Laxma Reddy participated rigorously in Telangana movement and received injuries in police lathi-charge in Delhi.
They alleged that the journalists were facing hardships due to the appointment of journalists, who have no understanding on welfare journalists and journalists’ acts, in various government committees. It was sad that the government was adopting delaying tactics in regard to journalists’ house sites for the last two years, they slammed.
Condemning the abusive postings in social media and framing illegal cases against five journalists by the Nirmal district MIM party chief and Bainsa Municipal vice-chairman Javed, Srinivas Reddy and Amar said that they appointed three-men committee to inquire into it. Finding fault with the orders issued to not to allow the journalists in Municipal meetings, they alleged that the orders were in a manner that they were curbing the freedom of expression. The journalists were facing hardships only because of the appointment of persons, who have no understanding on journalists’ welfare and journalists’ acts, in various committees of government.
TUWJ general secretary K Virahat Ali and IJU executive member MA Majid were also present.
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