Deccan News Service | Hyderabad

Demanding the immediate resolution of long-pending issues neglected for the last twelve years, journalists across Telangana staged a massive Maha Dharna on Wednesday. Organized by the Telangana State Working Journalists' Association (TUWJ), the protest held at the Information Commissioner’s office premises in Masab Tank turned out to be an unexpected and historic success, drawing unprecedented participation.

Responding to TUWJ’s call, journalists from all districts, including large contingents from Hyderabad, gathered in overwhelming numbers, filling major roads with slogans demanding justice. Senior journalists and police personnel observed that this was the largest-ever dharna by journalists in the history of the Information Department at this venue.

Several unions and associations extended full support, including the Telangana Photo Journalists Association, Telangana Video Journalists Association, Telangana Small and Medium Newspapers Association, Women Journalists Section, Telangana Urdu Journalists Association, Hyderabad Press Club, Jubilee Hills Housing Society, Jawaharlal Housing Society, TJA, and many more.

Importantly, the Senior Journalists Welfare Association also actively participated in the Maha Dharna. Its leader, Srinivas Reddy, joined the protest and expressed strong solidarity with the demands raised by TUWJ. Journalists were specifically urged to ensure that this participation is highlighted prominently in news coverage.

The protest was conducted under the chairmanship of TUWJ State President K. Virahat Ali and saw the attendance of several prominent leaders: IJU Steering Committee members Devulapalli Amar and M. A. Majid, IJU National Secretary Y. Narender Reddy, TUWJ State General Secretary K. Ramnarayana, Deputy General Secretary Kalukuri Ramulu, IJU National Executive Committee members K. Satyanarayana and Nagunuri Shekhar, and Small Newspapers Association representatives Yusuf Babu and Ashok.

Presidents and General Secretaries from allied bodies also took part—Hyderabad Press Club (Vijay Kumar Reddy, Ramesh), Photo Journalists Association (Gangadhar, K.N. Hari), Video Journalists Association (Nagaraju, Harish), and Jubilee Hills Housing Society (Goparaju). Union leaders V. Yadagiri, K. Srikanth Reddy, Madhu Goud, Faisal, HUJ President Shiga Shankar Goud, Hyderabad Press Club Vice President A. Rajesh, Urdu Journalists Association General Secretary Ghaus, and senior women journalists Vimala, Attaluri Aruna, Vakati Manjula, and Kalyanam Rajeshwari also addressed the gathering.

The Maha Dharna stood as a powerful show of unity among the media fraternity, reaffirming journalists’ determination to secure long-delayed justice and long-overdue welfare measures in Telangana.