Academician and writer Kancha Ilaiah warned that the case slapped against him and the Telugu daily that published his article, would have serious repercussions for the fourth estate, and sought to know if the government intends to kill any view of disagreement and keep the media in constant fear.

He also lashed out at intellectuals from the radical Left for “negotiating with the State government”, and remaining silent on his arrest.

The case and his arrest were probably the backlash for his long held opinion that Telangana, as a land-locked region, would have little scope for development if carved out as a separate State, he said while speaking at a press conference two days after he got a HC stay order on his arrest in relation to a case filed by VHP against his iconoclastic piece.

In an appeal laden with sarcasm, he urged the Telangana government to issue guidelines prescribing what can go into the writings of academics and research scholars, media reports and people’s literature.

Taking a caustic dig at his fellow academics – G. Haragopal and M. Kodandram, who reportedly refrained from making any public statement against the case, Mr. Ilaiah suggested they both could be appointed to the committee to frame guidelines. Guidelines may also be framed for media through a committee comprising Chairperson of the Telangana Press Academy Allam Narayana and CPRO to Chief Minister Jwala Narasimha Rao.

Nearly all the persons listed by him are renowned for their espousal of radical left politics and defence of rights movements.

Speaking to The Hindu separately, he said intellectuals from radical left being co-opted by the government is fearsome as it would only give legitimacy to the repressive policies.

In another statement, Prof. Ilaiah questioned TSPSC chairman Ghanta Chakrapani’s repeated declarations that there will not be any political interference in recruitments.