Visakhapatnam, July 10: The office of Deccan Chronicle in Visakhapatnam was attacked today by activists from the Telugu Nadu Students’ Federation (TNSF) and Telugu Mahila. The protest was triggered by a report published by the newspaper regarding the potential privatisation of the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP).
The contentious report suggested that the TDP-led alliance in the state might reconsider its position on the privatisation issue. It quoted Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries Srinivas Varma, who indicated that privatisation was inevitable. This statement reportedly angered trade union leaders who have been opposing privatisation for over three years. The report also highlighted a change in stance by TDP State President Palla Srinivasa Rao following the elections.
Outraged by the publication, TNSF and Telugu Mahila members staged a protest at the Deccan Chronicle office, leading to an attack on the premises.
In response, the Journalists’ Association of Andhra Pradesh (JAAP) condemned the attack, describing it as undemocratic. JAAP President Punnam Raju and General Secretary Yugandhar Reddy called for swift action against those responsible and urged the TDP-BJP-JSP government to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
This incident underscores the heightened tensions surrounding the privatisation debate and the role of media in reporting on sensitive political issues.
