Revanth Reddy distinguished mainstream journalists in print and visual media and those operating YouTube channels or social media accounts, labelling the latter as “fake journalists” who undermine the profession’s credibility.
Published Aug 02, 2025 | 4:54 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 02, 2025 | 6:33 PM
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
Synopsis: Chief Minister Revanth Reddy condemned “self-styled” journalists with scant knowledge of journalism masquerading as experts, saying they do not even respect senior journalists.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has kicked up a fresh controversy on Friday, 1 August, saying he felt like “slapping” young journalists, particularly those on digital and social media platforms, for their perceived arrogance and lack of respect for senior journalists.
Speaking at the 10th anniversary of Nava Telangana, Revanth said, “I feel like getting down and slapping them across their face repeatedly. These self-styled young journalists come half an hour early to my press conferences and occupy the front seats. They put on airs that they are here to dominate me. They look into my eyes as if asking why I am not greeting them with a namaste or bowing my head, accepting their superiority. They try to throw their weight around as if they know everything, though they may not have rudimentary knowledge of journalism. They do not even give respect to their seniors or vacate their front-row chairs for them.”
Revanth distinguished mainstream journalists in print and visual media and those operating YouTube channels or social media accounts, labelling the latter as “fake journalists” who undermine the profession’s credibility. Incidentally, Congress leaders have often labelled mainstream media as “godi media” for its alleged bias in favour of BJP while hailing digital media as journalism of ethics and credibility.
“Today, somebody who doesn’t even know the alphabet of journalism says, ‘I am a journalist.’ If we ask him, he says, ‘I am a social media journalist,’ as if it’s his surname,” he remarked. They pose a threat to national integrity. Revanth referred to a recent incident where probe agencies arrested a “journalist” for allegedly spying for Pakistan to explain the dangers of unqualified individuals posing as journalists.
This is not Reddy’s first brush with the media. In March 2025, two women journalists, Revathi Pogadadanda and Thanvi Yadav, were arrested by the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police for sharing a video of a farmer using abusive language against Revanth and his family.
The arrests, based on a complaint by a Congress social media cell secretary, were criticised as an attempt to stifle dissent. The chief minister defended the action, accusing the BRS of orchestrating the video to defame him.
“If this trend continues, I will have them flayed (todkalu teestham), strip them in public and parade them,” he had warned, while questing “abusive comments against the families of leaders”.
The journalists were granted bail on 17 March 2025, but the incident fueled debates about press freedom.
In August 2024, two other women journalists, Avula Sarita and M Vijaya Reddy, were allegedly assaulted by Revanth’s supporters in Kondareddypally while reporting on the farm loan waiver issue. The attack, which involved physical violence and destruction of equipment, further strained media-government relations.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
