YS Jagan: SC’s Kommineni verdict is a blow to Naidu’s authoritarianism

YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) president and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu following the Supreme Court’s June 13, 2025, directive to release senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao.

Labeling the verdict a “resounding slap” on Naidu’s face, Jagan accused the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader of orchestrating a “false controversy” to suppress media freedom and divert public attention from governance failures.

The Supreme Court granted immediate bail to Kommineni, a Sakshi news anchor, arrested on June 9, 2025, by Andhra Pradesh police for allegedly making derogatory remarks about women in Amaravati during a debate on the YSRCP-affiliated channel.

The court deemed the arrest a “serious violation of fundamental rights and freedom of expression,” questioning the state government’s actions and emphasizing the need to protect journalistic rights. Kommineni was moderating a discussion where a panellist, VVR Krishnam Raju, made objectionable comments, which the anchor publicly disavowed, issuing an apology on behalf of Sakshi.

In a post on X, Jagan alleged that Naidu operated in an “authoritarian and undemocratic manner,” using “fake narratives” to falsely implicate Kommineni.

“At a time when public scrutiny is building around massive corruption in the name of Amaravati, failed governance, and deteriorating law and order, Chandrababu created a false controversy with his so-called yellow gang to divert public attention,” Jagan stated.

He further accused Naidu of launching a “targeted campaign of misinformation and violence,” including orchestrated attacks on Sakshi media offices across the state, describing it as a deliberate assault on democracy.