Congress government’s selective media leaks draw scrutiny

The Congress government in Telangana is under fire for increasingly using selective media leaks to manage political narratives. The latest controversy involved reports of withdrawing deposits from SBI, followed by a reversal in stance within days.

Hyderabad: Facing criticism over its handling of governance, the Congress government is increasingly relying on selective media leaks to shape political narratives and project its stand on contentious issues.

The latest instance surfaced last Friday when details of the government’s reported plan to withdraw its deposits and discontinue services with the State Bank of India (SBI) were shared with select media organisations. The move came after the SBI approached the High Court against the recent Raidurg land auction and secured a stay on further proceedings.

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The reported proposal sparked criticism and prompted concerns within official circles about the implications of severing banking ties with SBI. However, within four days, the government appeared to change its stance. It approved the appointment of SBICAPS, the investment banking and corporate advisory arm of SBI, as the consultant for the valuation of Hyderabad Metro assets and other related works.

The latest episode is not an isolated one. Similar instances of selective information reaching a section of the media have surfaced on several occasions over the past few months.

In January, Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy warned of action against certain media organisations for allegedly airing false and malicious reports targeting constitutional authorities, ministers and women IAS officers.

The controversy soon escalated, with political observers describing it as an insider-driven episode intended to settle scores. Only a handful of media organisations had initially reported the issue. The police later arrested two journalists, drawing criticism from political parties across the spectrum.

During the same month, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka ordered the cancellation of Singareni Collieries Company Limited’s Naini coal block tenders in Odisha after reports appeared in select media alleging irregularities in the tender process.

Questions were also raised over the Hyderabad Industrial Lands Transformation Policy (HILTP). According to reports, Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu was not informed about the proposal until it came up before the Cabinet. Several officials were also said to be unaware of the policy before then.

A similar pattern was seen in the alleged land grabbing case involving Raghava Constructions, a firm linked to Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s son Harsha Reddy. The case relates to a three-acre parcel of land at Vattinagulapally in Gandipet. It was initially reported by a few media organisations before developing into a major political controversy.