'Will be stripped and paraded': Telangana CM Revanth Reddy vows action against 'fake journalists'

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed his outrage over derogatory online content targeting him and his family, issuing a stark warning to those “posing as journalists” who indulge in “offensive and abusive content” about public representatives, TOI reported.

During a discussion in the assembly regarding the governor's address, Revanth said that individuals spreading such malignancy could face severe repercussions, including being “stripped and paraded in public.”

He called for the need for legislation to combat vicious online campaigns, advocating for a clear definition of what constitutes a journalist.


“Let media organisations, their associations, I&PR and other authorised agencies define a journalist, list out their names and give them to government. They can be exempted. Others will be treated as criminals and action will be taken as per law,” he said.

Revanth directed his ire at the opposition party, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), accusing them of orchestrating the abusive posts against him and his family.

“They (BRS) condemned the arrest of two women journalists recently, who had posted derogatory and abusive language about my family members and me. I have been patient, but how long should I be tolerant when bad language has been used in social media posts against the women in my family?” he said.

In a moment of visible anger, he added, “My blood is boiling over the language used against my family's women members,” questioning whether BRS leaders would remain silent if similar language were directed at their mothers, sisters, and wives. “I will have them (people who put up such posts) stripped and paraded because they have no right to comment on women in my family,” he said.

The controversy was sparked by a video in which a farmer threatened violence against Revanth's family and Congress members for not fulfilling election promises. Following the incident, police registered a case on March 10 and arrested two women associated with a local YouTube channel on March 12, accusing them of filming the video inside the BRS office.

“They (BRS) brought paid artists to their party office, recorded it and posted it on social media. Now, they are upset because police cases have been registered against the two women,” Revanth said.

He further warned opposition leader and former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, and said, “Do not be under the impression that you can derive political mileage by hurting us psychologically. If you cross the line, the consequences will be dire. I am being tolerant and stopping the youth, or else they would hit the roads, strip you all before beating you black and blue.”

(With inputs from TOI)