HYDERABAD: The public hearing held by the Committee on Research of Press Council of India (PCI) in the Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao comments reported in the media, saw media representatives present here a divided response on Tuesdays.
While the committee was mandated to find the fact whether the prime minister made the statement attributed to him that would break the necks and bury people underground means when a public meeting in Warangal went earlier this month went public hearing on the issue of the ban two local TV Telugu as their representatives approached her.
As representatives of the channels made their case, panel members said since the PCI has no mandate on visual media of public hearing shall be limited to determine whether there was any perceived threat to the press in Telangana and free operation.
In response, many journalists, most television channels, said they also faced a potential threat perception. A television reporter even said: "Some thugs threatened us when we were in a silent protest at Tank Bund three days ago We were warned of serious consequences if we do not call for the protest.."
However, journalists argued that Telangana was the Seemandhra lobby to be blamed for the suppression of press freedom as houses several media outlets were in favor of the States of Andhra Pradesh over Telangana movement. Both of the journalist unveiled to the Committee seeking support PCI for their respective cases. When asked a member of the panel, which would have done if he were in the place of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said senior journalist Tankasala Ashok "he reportedly said, as the prime minister, who is well and we to end this dispute. "He said the chief minister's outburst should not be taken in a literal sense.
As veteran journalist Srinivas Reddy suggested that the chief KCR minister should publicly confess and apologize for his statements and to end the controversy once and for all.
The Telangana committee chief secretary Rajiv Sharma on Wednesday will meet and hold a public hearing in Warangal, where KCR made the alleged statement.
The three-member committee appointed by the president Markandey Katju PCI was even put on the defensive when a journalist questioned Telangana holiness as he noted that one of the committee members K Amarnath, was Seemandhra. Krishna Prasad was another member of the commission headed by Rajeev Ranjan.