The Andhra Pradesh government has withdrawn the controversial Government Order that authorized the Information Commissioner to file defamation cases against newspapers and TV channels publishing or telecasting false charges.
The opposition created a furore and stalled the proceedings of the Assembly on the issue, forcing its abrupt adjournment for the day.
The opposition leaders demanded that the House take up their adjournment motion as the government, they alleged, tried to gag the media in the name of legal action for publishing or telecasting reports purportedly false, baseless and defamatory in nature.
Such attempts were nothing short of censorship and exposed the government's intention to target not just Eenadu but all newspapers and TV channels, they said.
Chief Minister Dr Rajasekhar Reddy told the Assembly that the GO has been withdrawn and an inquiry has been ordered. "Government orders are issued at various levels. Some are issued at the Assistant Secretary's level, some at secretary level and some others at the chief secretary's level. Many orders are issued in the name of the governor but those who issue these are assistant secretaries. This particular GO was issued by the chief secretary," he explained.
Telugu Desam Party leader Chandrababu Naidu pointed out that the very idea of constituting a media watch under the chairmanship of the chief minister with the express purpose of gleaning articles and initiating legal action against those found inconvenient to the government was outrageous.
