The Human Rights Forum (HRF) condemns the undemocratic behavior of Vijayawada police for forcefully turning away a movie director, Ramgopal Varma, and a film producer, Rakesh Reddy, from addressing a Press conference in the city by citing a potential law and order problem.
Varma and Reddy, director and producer respectively of the movie Lakshmi’s NTR, were scheduled to hold a Press meet in a Vijayawada hotel to announce the release of the movie. According to Varma, the hotel cancelled his booking at the eleventh hour because of pressure from a political leader. Irked by this, Varma and Reddy announced that they would speak to media-persons near NTR Circle on Pipula Road. However, the police, citing restrictions under section 144 as well as the model code of conduct, stopped them at Ramavarappadu Junction and shifted them to the airport from where they flew back to Hyderabad.
We take exception to this undemocratic act of the police. The police could have regulated the proceedings and ensured that the Press meet went off peacefully instead of preventing the director from holding it.
G Rohith
(HRF Krishna district convenor)
29.04.2019
Vijayawada