The way two veteran journalists – K Ramachandramurthy and Devulapalli Amar, who are presently holding the posts of advisors to Andhra Pradesh government held press conferences almost at the same time on the controversial GO on filing defamation cases against the media raised many eyebrows in the media circles.
While Amar, national media advisor, held a press conference hurriedly at a very short notice at Hyderabad on Friday evening, Murthy, advisor to Andhra government on public policy, held the press conference in Velagapudi secretariat in Amaravati almost the same time.
Both of them strongly defended the GO stating that it was aimed at reining in only those media houses which have been deliberately targeting the YSRC government by publishing scurrilous reports.
Both of them said it was not meant for curtailing the freedom of press, but was only to ensure that the media does not cross the Lakshmana Rekha.
Enquiries revealed that YSR Congress party president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy reportedly called Amar and Murthy and pulled them up for not defending the government, when the media persons were raising a hue and cry and journalist unions were taking to streets.
Jagan was wondering why Amar and Murthy had remained silent as if it was not their job to defend the government on the GO and the ministers were anyway responding to the criticism.
“But the decision would get more credibility if senior journalists like Amar and Murthy come to the defence of the decision,” the chief minister felt.
After receiving the dressing down from Jagan, the Amar-Murthy duo responded hurriedly. But the damage has already been done to the government!