Are BRS Leaders Responsible for the Attack on Maha News?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BRS leaders have been implicated in an attack on a news channel office.
- Multiple legal charges have been filed against the involved parties.
- The Congress party has condemned the violence, highlighting political accountability.
- The incident raises serious concerns regarding media freedom in Telangana.
- Involvement of high-profile political figures complicates the narrative.
Hyderabad, June 29 (NationPress) A case has been initiated against BRS leaders concerning the assault on the office of Telugu news channel 'Maha News', as reported by Hyderabad police on Sunday.
The President of Bharat Rashtra Samithi's student wing, Gellu Srinivas Yadav, has been taken into custody following the incident that occurred on Saturday.
Charges have been filed under multiple sections of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), specifically sections 331(5), 331(7), 109(1), 118(1), 126(2), 324(5), 324(6), 351(3), and 79 r/w 3(5).
Additionally, former Speaker Madhusudhana Chary and former MP Balka Suman have been charged for allegedly attempting to obstruct the arrest of Srinivas Yadav at the BRS headquarters, Telangana Bhavan.
The police have registered a complaint against them at the Banjara Hills Police Station for allegedly hindering law enforcement from performing their duties.
A group purportedly associated with the BRS attacked the 'Mahaa News' office in Jubilee Hills on Saturday, vandalizing vehicles and damaging the channel's property.
Armed with sticks and stones, the attackers inflicted injuries on several staff members.
The ruling Congress party condemned the assault and held the BRS accountable. Telangana unit President Mahesh Kumar Goud visited the news channel's office on Sunday to express solidarity with the journalists and staff.
In a statement to the media, he criticized the BRS for engaging in phone tapping during its administration. He asserted that such actions could not have occurred without the awareness of then Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) and former state minister K.T. Rama Rao (KTR), questioning KCR's silence on the matter.
Goud inquired why the BRS government felt the need to tap the phones of film personalities, claiming that such invasions have caused rifts within families. He alleged that the phones of not only political figures but also their family members, celebrities, judges, and women officials were monitored.
Condemning the attack on the 'Maha News' office, he emphasized that the media's role is to convey the truth to the public. He stated, "While various allegations have been made against us through your paid channels, we never resorted to physical violence."
The Congress leader accused KTR of inciting goons to execute the assault and defended his stance.
KTR, the BRS Working President, criticized a bulletin aired by the channel in a recent social media post.
"Some unscrupulous individuals pretending to be journalists have been spreading malicious rumors about me and my party leadership for months. While I am indifferent to their opinions, these ongoing character attacks are affecting my family, friends, and colleagues. I will pursue legal action against every one of them and am aware of who is orchestrating these organized attempts, and I will address them accordingly," the BRS leader stated on Saturday.