Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on 16th of October decided that the government will sue media houses if they publish or telecast stories with allegations found to be “baseless”.
Telugu Desam Party (TDP) nation President N. Chandrababu Naidu’s son and TDP’s General Secretary Nara Lokesh on 18th of October slammed the Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for intimidating news papers and news channels.
“Highly disturbing turn of events in Andhra Pradesh, from being the Best in Ease of Doing business, we are becoming Best in Ease of Killing Media,” Lokesh wrote on his Twitter page.
He said, “When sworn in as CM, YS Jagan threatened to sue newspapers & news channels. Things have only gotten worse now. First they banned news channels on cable networks then a journalist was murdered last week after an earlier attempt on his life failed. Now a new order is passed giving government officials the power to sue and throw honest & brave journalists behind bars.”
Mr. Nara also said, “GO 938 gives bureaucrats the power to sue anyone posting content critical of their department on print, electronic or social media. It’s constitutionally invalid and completely anti-democratic.”
Mr. Nara further said, “It reflects YS Jagan’s deep inSecurities about his performance.”
Background.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSR Congress party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on 16th of October decided that the government will sue media houses if they publish or telecast stories with allegations found to be “baseless” and without tangible evidence.
