Vijayawada: Media baron, Ch Ramoji Rao, is known for his own set of rules – be it business or the freedom of press. He has always being using them to the best of his convenience.
He has launched Mundadugu programme to sensitise people on the Right to Information Act and ensure that every piece of information is made available to the people. But he twists some information to target the government (Agriculture University’s survey on farming in the State, which was carried out during Naidu’s regime) and he smashes some to hide facts (fire accident in Ramoji Film City and manhandling of Sakshi reporters in Basara).
He has been proved to have violated the norms of the Reserve Bank of India and the Income Tax Department in collecting deposits from public for the Margadarsi. He waged war against a number of co-operative banks and forced their closure. He carried out series of articles in Eenadu against private chit fund companies and ensured their closure. He prompted officials to stop Micro Finance activity. Every thing was done to protect and promote his Margadarsi. But, when the officials realised that Margadarsi had violated rules, he spoke of freedom of press and tried to rally the top media persons by misleading them.
The other day, when Ramoji’s family assaulted the reporters of Sakshi at Basara, there was no mention of it nor was there any apology for the incident in Eenadu. The reports relating to journalists holding protests was also not mentioned in the paper! This is what the freedom of press that Ramoji teaches the media.
Senior journalists and media bigwigs, are you listening?
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