New Delhi, March 17, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by Telangana Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy’s threat that individuals “posing as journalists and posting offensive and abusive content” would be “stripped and paraded in public,” following the publication on social media of an interview critical of the southern Indian leader.
Reddy, who is a member of the Congress party, made the comments on March 15, while condemning two Pulse News journalists who were arrested on March 12 for an interview with a citizen who criticized the chief minister. Police described the social media-based outlet’s interview as “abusive” and said it could incite social divisions and unrest.
On March 17, reporter Thanvi Yadav and managing director Revathi Pogadadanda were granted bail after being held for five days, their lawyer Jakkula Laxman told CPJ. The journalists, expected to be released on Tuesday, could face jail if found guilty on charges of criminal conspiracy, publishing a statement with intent to promote hatred, and intentional insult likely to break the peace under India’s criminal law Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and publishing obscene material under the Information Technology Act.
“The bail for the two Pulse News journalists is a relief, but the criminal case against them is completely unreasonable, as are Chief Minister Anumula Revanth Reddy’s obscene threats to use violence against his critics and to muzzle the press,” said CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Beh Lih Yi. “The Congress party’s national leadership must take a clear stand against such attacks in order to defend the press freedom that it vows to respect.”
Reddy told the state assembly that it was time “to define who is a journalist” by getting media organizations to submit a list of names to the government. Those not on the list would be “treated as criminals,” he said.
On March 12, Hyderabad Police posted mugshot photographs of Yadav and Pogadadanda on the social media platform X, treatment usually reserved for hardened criminals, as well as detailing the charges they faced, one of which was struck down by the court.