The Andhra Pradesh government recently put out a notice warning media publications that it would sue them for defamation for "news items" published with "ulterior motive". Several journalists pointed to a caste rivalry between the Reddy and Kamma communities that was adversely affecting the media space in Andhra. The finger of accusation was pointed to YSR Congress legislator Dadisetti Ramalingeswara Rao. Prasad filed an FIR against local MLA of the ruling YSR Congress, Kotamreddy Sridhar Reddy. “To generalise a quarrel between two parties and their supporters in the media as a larger attack on press freedom may not be entirely true,” said one senior English media journalist.

Source: The Telegraph October 21, 2019 14:15 UTC