Telangana Govt should own responsibility, help family: Oppn after journalist dies of COVID-19

The opposition parties of the State on Tuesday targeted Telangana Government for the death of a leading television journalist due to COVID-19, a few days back.

Speaking to , opposition parties said that the State Government should own the responsibility of the death of the journalist due to coronavirus and help his family.

BJP MLC N Ramchander Rao alleged that the death of the journalist caused by the negligence of the Government authorities.

"I think his (journalist) death is not just because of the COVID-19 but also because of the negligence of the government authorities. As demanded by the journalist bodies, he must be paid compensation. He was just 33 years old and his wife is 6 months pregnant and therefore his family is in a miserable condition. The government should come out and help this family," he said.

"The journalists who die because of COVID-19 should also be paid by the State Government and it should own the responsibility. Nothing is being done by the TRS Government, his death has exposed the Government. The demand for ex-gratia to the family of Television journalist is justified," he added.

A leading Television journalist died few days back because of COVID-19 and one of his brothers is also admitted in the hospital along with him. The journalist's brother later came out without with a video which stated that his brother died because of the negligence of the government authorities. There were no facilities for him until they had a pressure of journalists association.

Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that State Government should announce package for the deceased's family.

"We were demanding the government to take serious steps to control the spread of coronavirus. But the Government is saying to the people to live with it. Now you can witness how people are loosing their lives, a young journalist also died. So far the government didn't announce any package, they have to come forward. The families of such people will come on the roads when they die, so the Government should come forward and announce package for the family and provide some employment to them," he said.

CPI leader Chada Venkat Reddy said, "Hyderabad poses about 1 crore of population and COVID-19 cases are increasing day by day. Journalists are roaming around to inform the problems in society to the government. Recently a TV journalist died because of this deadly virus. There were no proper facilities and no proper care by the management was taken which lead to his death."

"Even after his death, the government is not reacting. The party in power is taking this easy and opposition parties are putting pressure on the Government. We are demanding to give Rs. 50 lakh to the Journalist's family."

( With inputs from ANI )