Hyderabad, Dec 26 (UNI) Telangana Media Academy (TMA) chairman K Srinivas Reddy on Friday clarified that the new accreditation guidelines issued by the State government would not cause any harm to professional journalists. 
In a statement, Srinivas Reddy said Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Information Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy are committed to introducing improved welfare measures for journalists and ensuring that they are implemented without any discrimination. 
He recalled that the Telangana High Court had earlier struck down the previous government’s accreditation orders due to discriminatory practices, particularly against Urdu journalists and smaller newspapers. He said these shortcomings have been rectified in the new government order. 
The Media Academy Chairman expressed concern that some individuals were deliberately spreading false information by claiming that the new GO limits welfare benefits only to reporters. “There is absolutely no truth in such allegations,” he said, adding that the welfare measures apply to all professional journalists. 
Srinivas Reddy said that if there were any doubts or clarifications required, they could be addressed through dialogue. He noted that there would always be scope to discuss journalists’ welfare measures with the Chief Minister and the Information Minister. 
Describing it as unfortunate that certain forces were attempting to create agitation with a political agenda, he said the people’s government under Revanth Reddy would deal with journalists’ issues in a positive manner and work towards solutions. He asserted that there was no possibility of discrimination, unlike during the previous regime. 
Appealing to working journalists, Srinivas Reddy urged them not to fall prey to what he termed as malicious propaganda being deliberately spread against the new accreditation government order.