Hyderabad: The Telangana police have booked five individuals for allegedly misbehaving and manhandling women journalists in Nagarkurnool district on Thursday, August 22.
The women journalists of digital media platforms had gone to Kondareddypalli to report on the plight of farmers who failed to receive the benefits of the farm loan waiver.
The case was registered under sections 126(2), 352, 351 (1) 79,r/w 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for threats, wrongful restrainment and intentional insulting modesty of the women.
The women in their complaint stated that the villagers were hostile towards them, argued and threatened them against visiting the village with their cameras and phones. They allegedly continued to obstruct their way.
The journalists on X stated that the villagers who attacked them were Congress workers. The harassers allegedly confronted the journalists, damaging their cameras, seizing their phones, and pushing them into the mud.
In a tweet recounting the experience, one of the journalists urged Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, to recognize the troubling reality in Telangana. “I also hope the Press Council of India takes serious note of this attack on women journalists in Telangana,” she added.
The Telangana government initiated the rollout of the final phase of the Telangana farmers’ loan waiver for outstanding amounts between Rs 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh on Thursday, August 15.
BRS protests farm loan waiver delay
BRS leaders along with farmers are protesting against the Congress government over its farm loan waiver scheme, across various parts of Telangana. They have alleged that despite the final phase being rolled out, the loans of several farmers had not been waived.
Several protests were organised by the BRS leaders at their party centres in various constituencies.
Rs 5,644 crore were deposited into the loan accounts of 4,46,832 lakh farmers at the public meeting held at Wyra last Thursday. Revanth Reddy said that Congress was the only government which created a record by allocating Rs 31,000 crore for waiving off farm loans of 32.50 lakh farmers in the state.
However, it is pertinent to note that as of Thursday, August 15, the Congress government has spent Rs 17,934 crore for the Telangana farmers’ loan waiver. The money has been deposited in the banks of 22,37,848 farmers.
The delay in the waiver for a few farmers despite the launch of the third phase was due to various reasons pertaining to Aadhar cards, passbook details, loan accounts or errors in the details given by the bankers, and those with loans exceeding Rs 2 lakh.
