Scribes protest Sakshi black-out in AP

A delegation of senior journalists and leaders of various journalists unions on Wednesday called on Governor ESL Narsimhan and submitted a memorandum to intervene and stop the unilateral and anti-democratic action of the Chandrababu Naidu government in blocking out Sakshi TV channel in Andhra Pradesh. The delegation comprising senior journalist Varadachari (Senior Journalists Union), Devulapalli Amar (Indian Journalists Union), K Srinivas Reddy (Mana Telangana), Amarnath (Press Council of India member), K Ramachandra Murthy (Saakshi Editorial director), Vardelli Murali (Saakshi Editor), Narendar Reddy (APUWJ), G Anjaneyulu (Journalist Federation), and Kommineni Srinivasa Rao (Saakshi) met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and presented a memorandum. Pleading for his intervention in the anti-democratic action of the TDP government, they brought to the notice of the Governor about AP Deputy CM-cum-Home Minister Chinarajappa’s announcement that his government had willfully stopped the Saakshi TV Channel telecasts in the wake of Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham’s hunger strike and anti-government protests all over the State. They sought his immediate intervention to stop illegal action of the Chandrababu Naidu government. The Governor gave a patient hearing to the journalist leaders and assured them of favourable action. Earlier, hundreds of journalists took out a rally from the Press Club at Somajiguda to the Raj Bhavan. Armed with placards, the journalists raised slogans like restore freedom of Press, `Dictatorial regime Down Down' and so on. K. Ramchandra Murthy said blocking out a TV channel for exposing government's misdeeds is a clear act of anarchy and all democratic forces should unanimously oppose it. "If we do not resist this kind of actions of governments, it can happen to any other media and in any other State in the country, which will adversely affect the people in general," Murthy said. Devulapalli Amar said the matter would be pursued with the Press Council of India.