Hyderabad: Congress MLC Teenmaar Mallanna on Thursday accused the BRS party of being behind defamatory media reports targeting a woman IAS officer. He alleged that the news broadcast on NTV was politically motivated. Moreover, he claimed it was orchestrated by BRS for electoral advantage.
Mallanna claimed that BRS leaders, including K.T. Rama Rao and T. Harish Rao, reacted strongly to the arrest of NTV journalists. He said it was not out of media concern but due to fear that their wrongdoings and secrets might be exposed.
He alleged that the IAS officer was subjected to surveillance and that her personal life was misused for political exploitation. “This is a direct attack on the dignity of women,” Mallanna said, adding that women are unsafe under BRS rule.
Defamatory news on woman IAS officer sparks political row
The controversy gained momentum on social media after Mallanna’s comments went viral, sparking a new political debate in Telangana. The journalist arrests followed a formal complaint filed by the woman IAS officer.
While police took action based on the complaint, a magistrate court later rejected their remand plea. Consequently, the court granted bail to the journalists. This legal twist has further intensified political discussions around the issue.
Opposition parties have questioned the BRS leadership’s silence on the alleged misuse of personal information. Instead, they focus on defending the arrested reporters. Mallanna accused the party of orchestrating a media smear campaign. He said the BRS was trying to avoid scrutiny.