YSRCP slams TDP-led NDA govt after Supreme Court releases journalist on bail

The YSRCP on Friday slammed the TDP-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh after the Supreme Court (SC) granted bail to journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao.

Rao was recently arrested by Andhra Pradesh police in Hyderabad for hosting a programme where alleged disparaging comments against the greenfield capital city of Amaravati were made.

"The court's remarks on protecting democracy mirror the current situation in Andhra Pradesh. The arrest was clearly illegal and unconstitutional," said YSRCP leader former minister S Appalaraju in a press release.

Appalaraju said the verdict exposed the government's failure to follow legal procedure and proved that the arrest was arbitrary and unjustified.

The former minister urged the state government to end the alleged politically motivated arrests and ensure administration is conducted within the constitutional framework laid down by B R Ambedkar.

Similarly, senior YSRCP leader and former TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy alleged that the NDA coalition government targeted a vernacular news channel to weaken Jagan Mohan Reddy and 'launched politically driven attacks on journalists and debate hosts'.

"The Supreme Court verdict is a tight slap to the government bent on destroying press freedom and suppressing voices," said Karunakar Reddy in the press release.

The former TTD chairman further said that the Supreme Court rightly ruled that arresting debate moderators is illegal and this judgment restores public trust and upholds democratic principles.

YSRCP leader also demanded immediate arrest of those who vandalised YSRCP properties, calling them politically motivated goons acting against freedom of the press.