Two journalists, including Revathi and her colleague Tanvi Yadav, in Hyderabad were reportedly arrested during the early hours of Wednesday. Soon, the arrests sparked widespread condemnation with opposition leaders and journalists accusing the Congress-led Telangana government of suppressing press freedom. The journalists were reportedly detained around 5 AM from their residences for posting a video featuring a farmer discussing his hardships under the current regime.
Hyderabad Journalist Arrest: Political Backlash
The arrest has triggered strong reactions from Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders, who accused the Congress government of authoritarianism.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao (KTR) took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticize Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning,"Kya Yahi Hain Aap Ki 'Mohabbat Ki Dukaan'? @RahulGandhi Ji? Arresting two women journalists in the wee hours of the morning!! What is their crime? Giving voice to the public opinion on incompetent & corrupt Congress Govt."
KTR further reminded Rahul Gandhi of his frequent references to the Indian Constitution, stating, "Last I checked, the Constitution of India that you hold regularly, upholds Freedom of Speech, Mr. Gandhi."
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BRS MLC K. Kavitha also condemned the arrests, accusing CM Revanth Reddy’s government of stifling dissent. She stated,"Under CM Revanth Reddy's rule, if you question something, you will be subjected to taunts, threats, arrests. I condemn the illegal arrest of journalist Revathi @revathitweets."
The arrests have ignited a larger debate on press freedom in Telangana, with social media flooded with messages of support for the detained journalists.