Hyderabad: A controversy has erupted as the Telangana Legislature Secretariat faces serious allegations of discrimination for not issuing media passes to accredited Urdu cable TV channels for the ongoing Legislative Assembly session that began on August 30, 2025.
The move has been labeled a “highly discriminatory anti-democratic act” by a group of prominent citizens. Congress party member Lubna Sarwath and others have also written a strong letter to the Assembly Secretary and the Media Advisory Committee Chairman over the isssue.
Two decades of coverage halted
According to the complaint, these Urdu channels have been covering the state Assembly proceedings for over two decades without any issue. The last media pass was issued to them as recently as the session on March 12, 2025. The sudden denial of access has left journalists and media associations shocked.
The issue first came to light through a social media post by Md Shafiuddin, President of the Hitech Print & Electronic Media Association, Hyderabad. A representation was subsequently sent to the chief minister of Telangana on August 29, 2025. However, as of the second day of the session, the grievance remains unresolved.
Training
While these Urdu journalists are being barred from their fundamental right to report, the Media Academy of Telangana has simultaneously conducted Urdu Journalist Training Classes on August 30 and 31 in Nampally, Hyderabad.
The letter further criticizes the training itinerary for having no female speakers, journalists, or academics from renowned institutions like Osmania University or the Chakali Ailamma Women’s University Urdu Department. The letter sent to the Telangana Assembly is signed by a coalition of ten individuals, including: Advocate Dr. Lubna Sarwath, Social & Environmental Activist, INC, Hyderabad, Er Amgoth Venkatesh Pawar, General Secretary, TPCC, Hyderabad, advocate Qudsia Tabassum, High Court, Hyderabad, and Abdul Aziz, President, Movement for Peace & Justice, Hyderabad.
The signatories have urged the authorities to “uphold the call given by our Hon’ble Shadow Prime Minister of India, the LoP, Janab Rahul Gandhi ji,” and to promptly issue the media passes without further discrimination.
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