Bandi Sore over SC Cancelling House Sites Allotted to Journalists
Hyderabad: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar today said he was deeply saddened by the Supreme Court's decision to cancel the plots allotted to the JNJ Journalists Housing Society. Stating that the Supreme Court's verdict has to be respected, he alleged that the BRS party, which has been in power for 10 years, and the present Congress regime were the main reasons for the non-allotment of the house-sites for the journalists. He said 17 years ago, after mortgaging mangalasutras and borrowing money, the society collected Rs 12 crore at the rate of Rs 2 lakh each from each journalist and paid to the State government to acquire the land in the name of JNJ Housing Society. “Both the BRS and the Congress, which have been in power since then, have done grave injustice by not handing over the houses to the journalists on one pretext or the other. Under KCR's rule, the lives of journalists were very miserable. If the houses were asked for, they were beaten with lathis. There have been many instances where journalists in question have been insulted at every step of the way by not continuing in the queue.
Today's Supreme Court judgment is the result of the negligence of the BRS and the Congress rulers. These two parties not only put journalists on the road, but also deprived them of the houses they had been waiting for with thousands of eyes. The journalists' mouths pulled off the lump. The pain of the families of journalists with the Supreme Court verdict is indescribable.
Sanjay said in today's society, the services of journalists were invaluable and added that they were living on salaries. “However, they are constantly trying to energise the society with their news. The government is doing injustice by not providing them even basic amenities. Their health cards are also not working. Unable to afford houses or rent to live in, children are in serious financial difficulties as they cannot afford to pay the fees. Despite all the difficulties, he continues to be in the field of journalism, believing that it is more important to energize the society than to the family. Many journalists died while waiting for their homes. The Congress and the BRS have failed miserably in supporting the journalists,” he said.
He said the Congress government should work with sincerity in the matter of giving houses to journalists. The Bharatiya Janata Party is ready to fully cooperate with the government in this regard. Otherwise, there is no point in BJP standing by and watching if injustice is done to journalists by not giving them houses,” he said.
