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Hyderabad: A group of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) workers attacked and damaged property at the MAHAA television network office located in Jubilee Hills on Saturday, June 28.

They alleged that MAHAA TV was spreading fake news against BRS working president and senior leader KT Rama Rao (KTR) with regard to the phone tapping case.

Raising slogans, BRS workers entered the office building and allegedly attacked an employee who tried to stop them. They damaged properties, pelted stones at the officer and damaged cars parked outside the MAHAA TV building.

On information, police rushed to the spot and started bringing the situation under control.

Will you kill journalists, asks MAHAA news MD

Questioning whether the attackers wanted to kill journalists, MAHAA news MD Vamshi wondered who will take the responsibility if journalists were attacked in such a way.

He said that around 20 people armed with sticks and stones vandalised his office, and that his staff risked their lives to prevent the attack.

“If they wanted to protest silently outside the office, but such violence is inhuman. If we made a mistake we were ready to apologise. I’m ready to go to KTR’s house or even invite him to our studio. If as a journalist I feel KTR should talk about the phone-tapping case, whats wrong with it,” he questioned.

He said that the attackers were clearly KTR’s followers, as they were raising slogans against phone-tapping case and why MAHAA news was speaking about their leader, and were threatening to hack, stab and kill his staff.

Wondering the direction towards which the attackers and the forces behind them were taking the society, Vamshi questioned the BRS workers and leaders to think whether such acts will do good or harm to their party.

Questioning how could such an act be perpetrated by BRS workers under the leadership of its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), Vamshi asked what message were they trying to send to the society.

Asserting that MAHAA news will pursue the attack on journalism at all legal and social platforms, he urged chief minister A Revanth Reddy to take stringent action on the attackers.

Leaders condemn the attack

Strongly condemning the attack on his X handle, Revanth Reddy made it clear that there was no scope for such attacks in a democracy.

Roads and buildings minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy stated that such attacks on journalism was nothing but suppressing people’s freedom of speech.

He sought stringent action against the attackers and those behind them, whose actions threatened the brand image of Hyderabad. Noting that there was no way of tolerating such attacks, he said protecting the democratic values is everybody’s responsibility.

Calling it an extremely unfortunate and inhumane incident, deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka stated that the state government will not remain a silent spectator to such assaults, and will take stringent action against all those responsible.

“In a democracy, discussions and reporting by media houses should happen in a free and fair manner. If anyone feels that the media content is conspiratorial or misleading, they should respond in a lawful and democratic way. Peaceful protests and formal complaints through appropriate government channels are always an option,” he stated.

Reiterated that everyone in the state had the right to seek justice and express their grievances legally and peacefully, he said the state government had robust systems in place to examine such complaints and ensure justice.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Anil Kumar Yadav, BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar, Bhatti Vikramarka, and BJP leaders also visited the MAHAA news office in Jubilee Hills to express their solidarity with the media outlet.

BRS sends notice alleging defamation to MAHAA TV

On the other hand, BRS’ legal cell has sent notices to the management of MAHAA TV, accusing the media outlet of spreading fake news and false propaganda on the party president KCR and working president KTR, by running a smear campaign on the channel’s Youtube channel using thumbnails on the phone-tapping case.

In a statement to media, BRS has alleged that the management of the channel, under the guise of journalism, was launching personal attacks and spitting venom against the party leadership.

Despite the management of MAHAA TV cautioned by BRS multiple times, the party alleged that the media outlet didn’t cease to run stories aimed at tarnishing the image of it’s leaders, and kept spreading the propaganda on its Youtube channel.

The party has reminded that even in the past, Congress minister Konda Surekha and certain Youtube channels defaming the party leadership were sent notices, and the court and the election commission too had pulled up certain individuals (Konda Surekha).

BRS warned that if MAHAA news didn’t mend it’s ways, the media outlet too would have to face Rs 100 crore criminal defamation case in the court.

Accusing MAHAA TV of joining hands with Congress leaders to achieve their own personal agenda, BRS urged the channel to behave responsibly and run stories for the benefit of the society.

MAHAA TV was founded by journalist I Venkat Rao, who is a former editor of the well-known Telugu newspaper Andhra Jyothi.

Senior police officials including a former intelligence head and other senior officials have been charged and are currently facing a probe into their role in tapping more than 600 phone numbers of politicians, judges, journalists, business persons among others, during the previous BRS government before the 2023 assembly elections.