Andhra Pradesh: BJP leader Dinakar condemns attack on journalists

Senior BJP leader Lanka Dinakar on Wednesday strongly condemned the attack on journalists and restrictions on media in the state.

"Article 19 of our Constitution allows the freedom of speech and expression. It stands for the freedom of the fourth estate. Article 21 of the Constitution gives us the right to life and personal liberty," he said.

Taking on Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy led YSRCP government in the state, Dinakar said: "The state government has curtailed the voice of media by imposing conditions and restrictions."

Referring to an old order, he said: "It appears that the present Andhra Pradesh Cabinet decision and the Government Order (GO) is nothing but the execution of the order, which YS Rajashekar Reddy government executed (GO No. 938, dated: 20th February 2007).

The BJP leader further said that they had seen Indira Gandhi during the Emergency and had also seen the decisions of the previous Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments on their targetted media ban, but "the people gave their verdict against such undemocratic and unconstitutional decisions of the government against the fourth estate."

Dinakar alleged the state government in Andhra Pradesh is empowering various Departments' Secretaries to file cases against the media, which expose the failures of the government.

"It is undemocratic and unconstitutional," he added.

The BJP leader said that in the last five months a series of incidents involving attacks on media have been reported from across Andhra Pradesh.

To buttress his point, Dinakar referred to the brutal murder of a journalist in East Godavari, attack on journalists in Srikakulam, Nellore and Prakasam district.

( With inputs from ANI )