Telangana Union of Working Journalists condemns Mancherial MLA’s remarks on media

Prem Sagar Rao expressed displeasure over poor publicity for his programmes and said if he desired he could shut down 50 percent of newspapers and channels in erstwhile Adilabad district

Mancherial: The Telangana Union of Working Journalists (TUWJ) (IJU) on Tuesday termed the remarks of MLA K Premsagar Rao against journalists as objectionable and demanded that he withdraw them.

According to a statement issued here, TUWJ district president Dega Satyam, and general secretary P Sampath Reddy criticised Premsagar Rao for his statement that he could shut down 50 percent of newspapers and channels if he desired to.

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They said the statement sounded threatening and demanded that the legislator immediately withdraw it. They threatened to stage protests as part of an action plan to be chalked out as per instructions of State leadership of the union.

TUWJ (143) district convener D Umesh and co-convener Chetla Ramesh also condemned the remarks of the MLA and demanded that he tender an apology to the scribes for threatening them.

The union would observe a pen-down if the legislator did not apologize, they said, adding that they would hold a protest against the MLA’s remarks in Mancherial town on Wednesday.

While addressing a meeting here on Tuesday, the MLA expressed displeasure over the poor publicity of his programmes. Premsagar Rao said he would make a tough decision if newspapers and channels did not mend their ways.

He declared that half of the newspapers and channels would be shut down in the erstwhile Adilabad district if a decision was made by him.