Amaravati: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and Leader of the Opposition in Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu has called for protests in Amaravati against the YSR Congress Party government’s decision to ban some regional news channels for covering the ongoing Assembly session.
The former chief minister has also decided to meet Governor Biswabhushan Harichandan after adjournment of the Assembly session on Thursday.
He also plans to take up the matter of the Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government’s move to sue media houses for publishing/telecasting of news that the government has termed as “false, baseless and defamatory”.
Speaking at a press conference at the TDP office in Mangalagiri, Naidu said, “On Thursday, we will stage a protest in Amaravati against the government’s actions. TDP leaders will also hold a rally near the state secretariat. After the Assembly is adjourned, we will go to the Raj Bhavan.”
During the last Assembly session, Speaker Tammineni Sitaram had imposed restrictions on three electronic media channels — ETV, ABN Andhra Jyothi and TV5 — for violating live coverage norms.
Sitaram had ordered Assembly officials to not issue passes to journalists belonging to these media houses. The ban has continued for the ongoing Winter session.
Naidu also hit out at the Reddy government over the recent fare hikes in state buses. He further slammed the YSRCP dispensation for introducing the village secretariats and volunteer system. “The government should have been ashamed while stating that 90% of the volunteers belong to the ruling camp,” he added.
Regarding the government's allegation that he had done nothing for the Rayalaseema region, Naidu said, “Despite heavy rains and floods, the region has not received water this year. Former CM NT Rama Rao had pioneered the water management plan to provide relief to people living in drought-hit region. But the present chief minister’s father, late YS Rajasekhara Reddy, had betrayed the region by writing to the tribunal for diverting surplus water.”
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