<p>Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday came under fire from various media organisations, including the Press Council of India (PCI) for his remarks that he would “bury the media 10 km under the earth” if it insults his state. <br /><br /></p>.<p>While the PCI termed Rao’s remarks “highly objectionable and totally unacceptable”, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) and the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) vehemently criticised him for threatening media. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar assured that his ministry would not allow anyone to play havoc on the freedom of the Press.<br /><br />“Press freedom is very important. But freedom has not come for free. Therefore, freedom entails responsibility. So, it has to be a responsible freedom. So those who enjoy freedom must also behave responsibly. But, if they are responsible, we are bound to protect them and we will do our duty,” he told reporters in Hyderabad.<br /><br />The two Telugu channels — TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyoti — have been protesting for the last three months as the Multi System Operators blacked out their signals after they allegedly aired some content which was perceived as “denigrating the Telangana dialect, sentiment and hurting the feelings”.<br /><br />The two channels continue to face an unofficial ban in Telangana even as the I&B Ministry issued notice to multiple-system operators (MSOs) last month after the issue was raised in Parliament. With journalists of the two channels intensifying their protest, Rao on Tuesday said he would teach a lesson to channels insulting Telangana’s culture and language. <br /><br />“This statement coming from a chief minister is, in my opinion, highly improper, highly objectionable and totally unacceptable in a democracy, particularly since it is coming from a person holding a high constitutional office," PCI chairman Justice Markandey Katju said in a statement. He noted that freedom of the media, guaranteed by Constitution, cannot be “validly suppressed” in this manner.<br /></p>
<p>Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday came under fire from various media organisations, including the Press Council of India (PCI) for his remarks that he would “bury the media 10 km under the earth” if it insults his state. <br /><br /></p>.<p>While the PCI termed Rao’s remarks “highly objectionable and totally unacceptable”, the Editors Guild of India (EGI) and the National Broadcasters Association (NBA) vehemently criticised him for threatening media. Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar assured that his ministry would not allow anyone to play havoc on the freedom of the Press.<br /><br />“Press freedom is very important. But freedom has not come for free. Therefore, freedom entails responsibility. So, it has to be a responsible freedom. So those who enjoy freedom must also behave responsibly. But, if they are responsible, we are bound to protect them and we will do our duty,” he told reporters in Hyderabad.<br /><br />The two Telugu channels — TV9 and ABN Andhra Jyoti — have been protesting for the last three months as the Multi System Operators blacked out their signals after they allegedly aired some content which was perceived as “denigrating the Telangana dialect, sentiment and hurting the feelings”.<br /><br />The two channels continue to face an unofficial ban in Telangana even as the I&B Ministry issued notice to multiple-system operators (MSOs) last month after the issue was raised in Parliament. With journalists of the two channels intensifying their protest, Rao on Tuesday said he would teach a lesson to channels insulting Telangana’s culture and language. <br /><br />“This statement coming from a chief minister is, in my opinion, highly improper, highly objectionable and totally unacceptable in a democracy, particularly since it is coming from a person holding a high constitutional office," PCI chairman Justice Markandey Katju said in a statement. He noted that freedom of the media, guaranteed by Constitution, cannot be “validly suppressed” in this manner.<br /></p>
