Amaravati, June 13 (IANS) Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and YSR Congress Party President Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Friday that the Supreme Court’s directive to immediately release senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao is a resounding slap on the face of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

He alleged that Chandrababu Naidu has been operating in an authoritarian and undemocratic manner.

“The court rightly observed that the arrest was a serious violation of fundamental rights and freedom of expression,” the YSRCP chief posted on X in his reaction to the Supreme Court granting bail to Srinivasa Rao in the case relating to alleged derogatory remarks about women of Amaravati during a debate on Telugu news channel ‘Sakshi.

Srinivasa Rao, an anchor with the channel owned by Jagan Mohan Reddy’s family, was moderating the show during which one of the panellists made some objectionable comments.

“At a time when serious public scrutiny is building around massive corruption in the name of Amaravati, failed governance, and deteriorating law and order, Chandrababu created a false controversy with his so-called yellow gang to divert public attention. By falsely attributing comments to Kommineni garu and launching a targeted campaign of misinformation and violence, including orchestrated attacks on Sakshi media offices, Chandrababu trampled on media freedom and democracy,” said the former chief minister.

“Even after the Supreme Court’s intervention, he continued to blame YSRCP and Sakshi, exposing his political agenda. The court’s order shattered this conspiracy, reminding the nation once again that truth will prevail,” Jagan Mohan Reddy added.

The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to Srinivasa Rao and ordered his release. Questioning the Andhra Pradesh government over the arrest, the Supreme Court observed that it was necessary that Rao’s journalistic rights and his fundamental right to freedom of speech were protected.

The 70-year-old journalist was arrested by the state police from his residence in Hyderabad on June 9. He was brought to the Guntur district, where a court sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.

The police on June 11 arrested journalist and political analyst VV Krishnam Raju, who had allegedly made derogatory remarks about women from the Amaravati region. A court in Guntur sent him to judicial custody till June 26.

–IANS

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