Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Scribes take out protest rallies

By Our Staff Reporter

CUDDAPAH Dec. 17. Journalists took out rallies sporting black badges, staged dharnas and rasta rokos in front of the MRO offices in about 30 of the 51 mandals in Cuddapah district on Tuesday in response to a call by the A.P. Union of Working Journalists district unit alleging police harassment by attempting to foist cases against scribes, issuing summons to mediamen by some sub-inspectors for filing reports about social vices in their respective police station limits.

The APUWJ members, who staged the protests, alleged that the Rajampet police had instigated students and people to attack a scribe of a Telugu daily following publication of a report alleging rampant prostitution in Rajampet town.

They also alleged that the local police had engineered protests by students and people by exerting pressure on them for three consecutive days.

The agitation would be intensified if the police did not mend their ways and stop from targeting scribes, the protesters warned.

The scribes submitted memoranda to the MROs concerned urging the Government and the Collector, Jayesh Ranjan, to take remedial measures and sternly punish the erring police officials.

Parties express solidarity

Leaders of various political parties expressed solidarity with the presspersons who staged protest in most parts of Cuddapah district on Tuesday decrying the harassment by some police officials.

Usurping of press freedom and stifling its voice would endanger democracy, which would be perilous to society, said the Cuddapah MP, Vivekananda Reddy.

The BJP Rayalaseema zonal incharge, N. Thulasi Reddy, said threats to the Fourth Estate would lead to an alarming situation and even lead to fall in Governments.

The Telugu Desam Party's Pulivendula constituency incharge, S.V. Satish Kumar Reddy, said it was the responsibility of people to safeguard press freedom in democracy and must be widely condemned. The CPI district secretary, G. Obulesu, alleged that police were being vindictive against scribes who were bringing facts to light.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• Naxals blast phone exchange
• Cong. squabbling to the fore again in A.P.
• Tomatoes selling at 25 paise per kg.!
• Scribes take out protest rallies
• And now, snapshots of `good work'

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu