Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) [India], March 16 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party strongly criticised Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, over his alleged threats to YouTubers, and accused the Congress party of attacking free speech and media rights.

In a self-made video, BJP Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the DNA of the Congress party has 'Emergency' in it.

'The Congress party's DNA has the Emergency in it. Just like how the Congress party has always attacked the rights of the media. Indira Gandhi ji imposed censorship during the Emergency. Nehru ji introduced the First Amendment, which imposed restrictions on freedom of speech. Majrooh Sultanpuri was sent to jail. Rajiv Gandhi introduced two media-opposing bills,' Poonawalla said.

He also pointed to a recent incident in Telangana, where a female journalist was arrested, allegedly after highlighting the plight of farmers. 'When she became the voice of the farmers, the Congress party attacked her,' he said.

Poonawalla alleged, 'The Congress Chief Minister (Revanath Reddy) is threatening, saying, 'Who are these YouTubers? These are not journalists. They abuse, and I will strip them, I will humiliate them, I will beat them, I will make them roam on the streets'.'

Poonawalla condemned the remarks from the Telangana CM, questioning the consistency of Congress party's stance on press freedom.

'Is this the language of a Chief Minister from the Congress party? Rahul Gandhi talks about press freedom, love, and democracy. Is this the definition of democracy? Is this the shop of love? Is this what promotes press freedom, Rahul ji?' Poonawalla asked.

Earlier in the day, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader Krishank attacked the Telangana government for banning agitations, dharnas, and demonstrations at Osmania University and said that the Congress government is so 'intolerant' that they can't even take criticism.

'The Congress government in Telangana which claims to be the democratic government and their leader Rahul Gandhi holds a red Constitution across India and flashes it but surprisingly, the historic Osmania University campus which has been the epicentre of protests for the Telangana agitation which brought the statehood also, the Congress government has banned democratic protests,' Krishank told ANI.

'The Congress government is so intolerant that they can't even receive criticism...The Osmania University ban on protests and Telangana CM Revanth Reddy threatening journalists, social media users (who post on social media platforms against the Congress government) that he would ask his Congress people to attack social media users shows that the Congress government does not believe in democracy,' he added. (ANI)