00:00Okay, let's move on and talk about what's happened in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.
00:04It's been a weekend of political tensions, of violence as well.
00:08The local polls that did see a lot of tension even previously,
00:12it kind of peaked over the weekend, particularly in Puli Vendula,
00:15where yesterday there were images of violence,
00:19there were images of attacks, political as well.
00:22In the course of that, India Today's Abdul Bashir,
00:26who was there to report on the polls, to report on what's happening,
00:28was attacked, along with India Today's video journalist Vijay.
00:32Both fortunately escaped unharmed, but the equipment was damaged
00:36with a clear intention to ensure that we don't cover or report
00:39what's happening on the ground.
00:41So who was this mob that attacked the India Today team?
00:45And we weren't the only ones to be targeted.
00:47There were several other media contingents also that faced these kind of attacks.
00:50A complaint has been registered, FIR filed, the investigation is underway.
00:55But serious questions that need to be asked about the circumstances
00:58that led to these kind of brazen attacks, on even journalists on the ground.
01:21India's news crew attacked.
01:25A camera smashed, and mobile phones snatched.
01:28India's news crew attacked.
01:32An assault on the India Today team while covering local body polls.
01:36In Andhra Pradesh, Puli Vendula has triggered a political confrontation.
01:46India Today's reporter, Abdul Bashir, and video journalist, S. Vijay,
01:50were confronted and assaulted by unidentified men,
01:54while reporting near a polling booth.
01:58The ruling TDP accused the YSRCP of orchestrating the attack,
02:04alleging it was a planned attempt to discredit the Naidu government nationally.
02:09When Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh,
02:13he has ensured that every ward in Puli Vendula was unanimous.
02:17How was it unanimous in the last election?
02:20Today, we are ensuring that elections happen.
02:24We are asking them to come.
02:27If you noticed it, in certain instances,
02:30we actually gave police protection for people who wanted to file nomination.
02:34If you look at it in Puli Vendula, they filed nomination.
02:36We didn't stop it. No one was stopped.
02:40The YSRCP has rejected the charge, calling it a smear campaign.
02:44But the opposition party shared footage of the injured journalist meeting his chief,
02:50YS Jagan Mohan Reddy,
02:52and accused the TDP of using violence to obstruct polling agents and voters.
02:58There has got to be a reform.
03:02The process of appointment of state election commissioners,
03:05the process of conducting the elections
03:09with the state government missionary,
03:12especially the state police,
03:15all these need reforms.
03:17The process to not permit elections without CCTV live footage.
03:23The process not to conduct elections without the polling agents in place.
03:30Jagan condemned the assault
03:31and demanded an impartial investigation,
03:34strict action against those responsible
03:37and security for journalists covering elections.
03:40With both parties trading accusations,
03:43the focus remains on the attack itself.
03:46Who assaulted the journalists?
03:48And will those responsible be held accountable?
03:53With Abdul Bashir, Bureau Report, India Today.
