Hyderabad: The Jawaharlal Nehru Journalists Mutually Aided Cooperative Housing Society (JNJ MAC) has condemned a smear campaign against its members and attempts to divide journalists based on regional lines. On Monday, the society clarified that journalists had paid the full market value for the land they were allotted by the government.
The society expressed its concern over a campaign against them on social media. They stated that some self-proclaimed social media journalists have politicized the recent event where Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy handed over the possession of the land to the society. The society members condemned threats to stop the land allotment for their members and warned of serious action against those spreading false information.
According to the society, the allotment of land to journalists for housing purposes has been a practice since the 1960s. In 2008, during Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy’s tenure as Chief Minister, 70 acres of land were allocated to the JNJ MAC Housing Society in the then-undivided Andhra Pradesh. The society, which includes 1,000 journalists, paid the government a total of Rs 12.33 crore in 2011, despite facing financial difficulties. Each member contributed Rs 2 lakh to meet the market value of the land.
Society President B. Kiran Kumar explained that in 2017, the Supreme Court directed the state government to hand over the land. In response, the K. Chandrasekhar Rao-led government handed over 32 acres to the society in 2018. However, despite a 2022 Supreme Court order, 38 acres were still pending.
In 2024, fulfilling a poll promise, the A. Revanth Reddy-led government finally handed over the remaining 38 acres to the society. Due to the delays in the court’s verdict, society members had to pay heavy interest on loans, and unfortunately, 70 members passed away, leaving their families in financial distress. The society also pointed out that many members lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The society emphasized that they had paid the entire market value back in 2011 and fought a long legal battle to secure the land. They strongly condemned any attempts to spread false information or divide journalists based on regional lines. The board of directors urged political parties to control their followers on social media, who have been spreading misinformation about the society.
