'Feel like slapping them': Telangana CM Revanth Reddy on young journalists

The Telangana High Court on Friday quashed a defamation case against Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in connection with a speech delivered by him during the Lok Sabha election campaign in 2024

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has landed in a controversy by threatening young journalists a during a public event.

“Young journalists don’t even know how to respect their seniors. They don't even have the basic sense to stand up when senior journalists enter. They sit in the front rows during the press conference and give me look -- as if I should greet them and bow my head. Sometimes, I feel like slapping them. But my position comes in between," the CM said.

In March,  two YouTube journalists  were arrested on March 12 for airing abusive and derogatory content.  Revanth Reddy spoke about the content in the Telangana Assembly. According to him,  people posing as journalists to post “vicious campaigns” against public representatives and their family members “should be stripped and paraded in public”.

Calling for strict legal action against such online content, Reddy also accused the rival Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of paying them to record the video and post it online.

The Telangana High Court on Friday quashed a defamation case against Reddy in connection with a speech delivered by him during the Lok Sabha election campaign in 2024.

The High Court allowed the petition filed by Reddy seeking to quash proceedings against him in the case pending trial before a Special Judicial First Class Magistrate (JFCM) for Excise cases (designated MP-MLA court).  Telangana BJP General Secretary Kasam Venkateshwarlu had earlier filed a complaint in the special court accusing Revanth Reddy of making statements during an LS election meeting in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on May 4, 2024 that the BJP, if voted to power, would change the Constitution and abolish reservations.

Reddy's remarks came hours after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Election Commission of aiding the BJP in "vote theft" and warned of releasing "atom bomb-level" proof to expose it.

Reaction to the CM's statement, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said "after Gandhi threatens ECI now hear Revanth Reddy".

After Rahul Gandhi threatens ECI now hear Revanth Reddy

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CM Revanth says he feel like slapping Youtube Journalists ...

They have dna of Emergency
Sanvidhan ka apman
Dhamki ki dukan
Congress ki pehchaan

Where is editors guilt of India? pic.twitter.com/tVxWcJi2Ic

— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) August 1, 2025

"CM Revanth says he feel like slapping Youtube Journalists ....They have dna of Emergency... Sanvidhan ka apman...Dhamki ki dukan...Congress ki pehchaan...Where is editors guilt of India," said Poonawalla.