BRS, BJP slam Congress over harassment of journalist with her baby

The BRS and BJP have accused the Telangana Congress government of harassing journalist Jalli Rekha. She was reportedly questioned for seven hours with her baby over her coverage of corruption allegations involving CM Revanth Reddy's family.

Political Backlash Over Journalist's Questioning

Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday accused the Congress government in Telangana of harassing independent journalist Jalli Rekha, alleging that she was questioned for nearly seven hours at the Central Crime Station (CCS) in Hyderabad while carrying her six-month-old baby.

In a post on X, the BJP claimed that Rekha, who runs a YouTube channel, was questioned over her coverage of allegations of corruption involving the family of Telangana Chief Minister (CM) Revanth Reddy. The BJP criticised the Congress over the alleged treatment of the journalist, saying, “This is the same Congress that loudly chants ‘Smash the Patriarchy.’ Yet here was a nursing mother, forced to sit for hours in a police station with her baby, simply for doing her job as a journalist.” The party further said, “Slogans are easy. Treating a woman with dignity is harder for Congress.”

BRS working president KT Rama Rao also targeted the Congress government over the incident. In a post on X, he alleged that the journalist was not allowed to feed her infant and linked her questioning to her reporting on alleged corruption involving Revanth Reddy. “This is the Mohabbat Ka Dukaan where an infant is not allowed to be fed by her mother. Her crime; she reports on the corruption of Rahul Gandhi’s Gandha ATM called Revanth Reddy. Well done,” Rama Rao said, tagging Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Police Notice Issued Under BNS and BNSS

The incident comes in the backdrop of a notice issued by the Telangana Police’s Cyber Crime Police Station in Hyderabad to journalist Sargu Rekha, also known as Jalli Rekha, in connection with a crime registered under Sections 353(2) and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). According to the notice dated October 6, 2026, the police directed Rekha to appear before the investigating officer at the Cyber Crime Police Station in Hyderabad at 11.30 am on October 7 for investigation. The notice was issued under Section 35(3) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The notice stated that the investigating officer had reasonable grounds to question her to ascertain facts and circumstances related to the investigation. It also directed her to cooperate with the probe, provide relevant documents and material, disclose facts truthfully and refrain from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses. It warned that failure to comply with the notice could render her liable for arrest under Section 35(6) of the BNSS. (ANI)

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