TDP legislator threatens to make journalists sleep on railway tracks
Amaravati: A Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA in Andhra Pradesh sparked a row on Wednesday by threatening journalists publishing ‘false news’ against him and his family members.
Gummanur Jayaram, the MLA from Guntakal constituency, warned journalists that if they publish ‘false news’ against him or his brother, he would make them sleep on train tracks.
Jayaram, a former minister, warned journalists of serious consequences. His video threatening media persons went viral on social media.
“Think well before publishing news about me and my brother. If you point out my mistake, I will rectify. Otherwise, I will make you sleep on train tracks,” he warned.
The MLA of the ruling party also told journalists that if they have any questions they should ask him in person. He warned them that he would not tolerate anything written against him.
The TDP MLA said some journalists publishing ‘false news’ that he is involved in land encroachments. He also remarked that he does not give any importance to the media.
Jayaram issued a warning to journalists after a media house published stories against him and family members.
Meanwhile, TDP leadership has taken a serious view of Jayaram’s threat to journalists. TDP leadership expressed its ire over the MLA’s warning.
TDP state president P. Srinivasa Rao spoke to the MLA over the phone and made it clear that threatening journalists is not the culture of TDP.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has also reportedly expressed his displeasure over the MLA’s action.
Journalists’ associations have condemned the MLA’s open threat and have demanded him to withdraw his statement.
Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) said in a statement that it is condemnable that a MLA has threatened journalists. The union said if the MLA believes that certain media report is not correct, he may take legal action but it is not proper on his part to threaten journalists.