Journalists Stage Massive Maha Dharna In City

Journalists from across Telangana today staged a Maha Dharna at the Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Commissioner's office in Masab Tank, demanding immediate resolution of long-pending issues.

Responding to a call given by the Telangana State Working Journalists' Association (TUWJ), journalists from across the State, including Hyderabad, gathered in large numbers, filling the surrounding roads with slogans.

Senior journalists and officials said that this was the first time such a large protest had been held on the I&PR premises.

The journalists said that key benefits like health insurance had been withdrawn and their concerns ignored for 12 years across successive governments. They demanded a fresh accreditation policy and new cards, restoration of the health insurance scheme, allotment of house sites, and renewed government support - including reconstituted professional committees and assistance for struggling small and medium newspapers.

Several media bodies, including the Telangana Photo Journalists Association, Telangana Video Journalists Association, Telangana Small and Medium Newspapers Association, Women Journalists Wing, Telangana Urdu Journalists Association, Hyderabad Press Club, Jubilee Hills Housing Society, Jawaharlal Housing Society and Telangana Journalists Association (TJA), extended their full support.

The protest was led by TUWJ State President K Virahat Ali. Indian Journalists Union leaders Devulapalli Amar and M A Majid, National Secretary Y Narender Reddy, TUWJ General Secretary K Ramnarayana, IJU NEC members K Satyanarayana and Nagunuri Shekhar, and leaders from various journalists' associations participated.