Media persons in Telangana had, no doubt, played a major role in the movement for separate Telangana State.
Like any other pro-Telangana group, they formed into a forum braving the pressures from Andhra-dominated media managements. In the process, they even had to face troubles like losing their jobs and braving police repression.
All said and done, media has to be independent when it comes to political loyalty. However, majority of media persons from Telangana have been blowing the trumpets of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi ever since the new State was formed.
The pro-TRS attitude has gone to such an extent that everybody or anybody who questioned the policies of TRS government headed by K Chandrasekhar Rao is being dubbed as anti-Telangana or pro-Chandrababu Naidu.
A systematic campaign is being run in the social media in favour of KCR and against his detractors.
This sycophancy has reached its peak with the pro-KCR journalists performing “paalabhishekam” (anointment with milk) of the Chief Minister portrait at Telangana Memorial at Gunpark on Thursday.
Reason: KCR has finally given the orders for issuance of health cards to journalists on par with the State government employees. The decision came more than a year after he had promised the same to journalists and after sitting on the file for over four months.
While the decision of KCR has to be very much appreciated, the way the pro-KCR journalists showed their gratitude towards him was a little embarrassing to the fellow independent journalists.
After all, KCR is not going to pay from his pocket for the scheme. It is a decision which was taken after a lot of pressure from journalists.
As a matter of fact, it is only a modification of earlier health insurance scheme implemented by the previous Congress government. For the last two years, this scheme has not been implemented pending the decision on health cards.
Well, there is nothing wrong in thanking the government. But one cannot go head over heels to please the Chief Minister!
