The arrest of women journalists Revanthi and Tanvi by Telangana police during early hours of Wednesday has been creating uproar politically alleging Revanth Reddy government resorting to file illegal cases and harassment against those who are criticizing the government.
At about 4.30 am on Wednesday, 12 Mufti policemen went to Revathi’s house. They took her into custody. The police also forcibly took away her phone, her husband, director Chaitanya Dantuluri’s phone and laptop. Revathi’s Pulse YouTube office was also seized.
It seems that Revathi was arrested on illegal cases for broadcasting a video in which a farmer spoke about the farmer’s union not coming. Reacting to her arrest, she said in a video message that “One thing is clear, Revanth Reddy wants to silence me. Want to threaten me. Let me see what happens”.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao and former minister T Harish Rao have severely condemned these arrests of senior woman journalists. KTR lamented that the raid on the house at 5 am and the illegal arrest of journalist Revathi as evidence of the ongoing emergency-style rule in the state.
He said that the arrest of young journalist Tanvi Yadav along with Revathi was cruel. KTR said that the arrest of journalists who posted the video of a farmer expressing his hardships under the Congress government is the pinnacle of this government’s restrictive rule.
He expressed his concern that there is no freedom of the media in public governance. He questioned whether this is the constitutional rule that Rahul Gandhi is talking about? He demanded that the Revanth Reddy government immediately stop these attacks and illegal cases being made against the voices of the media and social media to cover up the government’s failures.
Former minister and BRS leader Harish Rao wondered whether this is a democratic state or a dictatorial state? He criticized that the Revanth Reddy government is responding to those who are protesting on issues with arrests.
Seeing the illegal arrest of senior journalist Revathi at around 5 am, Harish Rao criticized that this government is insecure and cowardly. “I strongly condemn this shameful attempt to suppress questioning voices and press freedom,” he said.