Revanth Reddy warns journalists, sparks controversy

The Chief Minister of Telangana, Revanth Reddy, recently delivered a strong admonition to journalists and individuals masquerading as media professionals, particularly in reaction to what he characterized as unpleasant and abusive content aimed at public officials.

In a fervent speech in the Telangana Assembly on March 15, 2025, Reddy articulated his indignation regarding disparaging online material aimed at him and his family, asserting that the perpetrators could incur significant repercussions. He explicitly cautioned that individuals disseminating such content may be “stripped and paraded in public” if they overstep boundaries, underscoring his aversion to what he termed a “venomous culture” disguised as journalism on social media sites.

Reddy’s comments arose during the uproar over the arrest of two female journalists, Pogadadanda Revathi and Bandi Sandhya (also referred to as Thanvi Yadav), affiliated with the YouTube channel Pulse Digital News Network. On March 12, 2025, the Hyderabad Cyber Crime Police apprehended the journalists subsequent to a complaint from a Congress member over a video purportedly featuring disparaging remarks about the Chief Minister.

Reddy justified the arrests, alleging that the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) had fabricated the information to malign him and saying that the government would not condone the exploitation of social media to disseminate hatred. He further confronted the opposition, inquiring about their silence if analogous rhetoric were used against their families, and advocated for legislation to delineate who qualifies as a journalist to mitigate such occurrences.

The Chief Minister’s remarks have provoked considerable criticism, with detractors, including the Editors Guild of India and opposition figures such as KT Rama Rao of the BRS, denouncing his warnings as an infringement on press freedom and free expression. Reddy asserted that although he endorses ethical journalism, he will not remain mute in the face of personal attacks, indicating a resolute opposition to what he considers false or malicious reporting.