Hyderabad: The Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) organized a condolence meeting here on Tuesday, 8th September 2009 to pay homage to the memory of departed Chief Minister, Dr. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. Galaxy of Editors and Senior journalists spoke paying glowing tributes to the departed leader Dr. Y S Rajasekhar Reddy. Those who spoke included: Former Chairmen of Press Academy of AP, Potturi Venkateswara Rao, K Sreenivas Reddy (Visalandhra),  I Venkata Rao (Maha TV), Present Chairman, D Amar,  Head of the HMTV, K Ramachandra Murthy, Kommineni Srinivas Rao (NTV), Senior Journalist K Lakshma Teddy, Vaartha Editor, Tankasala Ashok, Senior Journalist G S Varadachari, Director (News), Sakshi TV, S Ramakrishna Reddy, Senior Journalist Bandaru Srinivas Rao, Information Commissioner, Dileep Reddy, Itthemad Deputy Editor, M A Majid, senior photographer Durga Rao and others.

Hundreds of journalists and Right to Information Commissioners, K Sudhakar Rao, Ambati Subba Rao paid floral tributes to the departed leader. The meeting was presided over by D Somasundar, President of APUWJ. Y Narender Reddy, Union General Secretary, K Amarnath, Secretary, IJU and others participated.

The meeting adopted the following resolution:

 
We express our profound sorrow at the untimely and tragic demise of Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr. Y S Rajasekhar Reddy on 2nd September 2009. Rajasekhar Reddy, a charismatic and popular leader, was the champion of the freedom of expression and a friend of journalists during his eventful and more than three decade long public life.

Under his stewardship, the state took long strides in its march towards progress and prosperity in the last five years. His visionary scheme “Jala Yagnam” brought back smiles on the faces of the farmers who were on the brink of abyss and revived the rural economy of the state earning him the sobriquet of “Apara Bhagiratha”. His “Pavala Vaddi” scheme empowered the rural women folk and “Arogya Sri” brought modern health care within the reach of the poor and the deprived.

He pioneered the welfare of the journalists by implementing the Medi-claim, Arogyasri schemes for working and retired journalists in the state. During his stewardship, more than five thousand rural journalists got house-sites in the district head quarters towns in the state. He will be remembered by the journalists as a friend and well wisher. He is a role model to the new general of politicians to have direct and live contact with the people. We condole his death and extend sympathy to the members of his family in their hour of sorrow and bereavement. May his soul rest in peace.