Telangana minister remarks on actors trigger row
Telangana minister Konda Surekha withdrew her controversial comments that KT Rama Rao was the reason behind the divorce of actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Akkineni Naga Chaitanya
Telangana minister Konda Surekha on Thursday withdrew her controversial comments that Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao was the reason behind the divorce of actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Akkineni Naga Chaitanya after facing severe backlash from the Telugu film industry as well as and the opposition party.
Chaitanya’s father and Telugu actor Nagarjuna sent a legal notice to the Congress leader, as did the BRS working chief.
“I strongly condemn the comments of the minister, Konda Surekha. Don’t use the lives of movie stars who stay away from politics to criticize your opponents,” Nagarjuna posted on X, asking the minister to withdraw her comments. “As a woman in a responsible position, your comments and accusations against our family are completely irrelevant and false.”
Several cine personalities like Chiranjeevi, Junior NTR, Prakash Raj, Mahesh Babu, Allu Arjun and Khushbu hit out at the minister for her remarks.
Samantha and Chaitanya also condemned Surekha, the minister for environments & forests and endowments, while maintaining that their decision to separate was mutual.
“My divorce was with mutual consent and amicable with no political conspiracy involved. Could you please keep my name out of political battles? I have always remained non-political and wish to continue doing so,” Samantha said in a statement on Instagram.
In a statement, Chaitanya said their divorce was a mutual decision “made in peace, owing to our different life goals and in the interest of moving forward with respect and dignity as two mature adults”. He added that the minister’s claim “is not only false, it is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable.”
The Congress leader made the controversial comment while talking to reporters at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday. “It is KT Rama Rao because of whom Samantha’s divorce happened. He was a minister at that time and used to tap the phones of the actresses and then find their weaknesses to blackmail them. He used to make them drug addicts and then do this. Everyone knows this, Samantha, Naga Chaitanya, his family, everybody is aware that such a thing happened,” Surekha had claimed.
After facing backlash, she withdrew her statement against the former couple and tendered an apology. She said her intention was not to hurt Samantha’s feelings.
“My comments are meant to question a leader’s attitude towards women and not to hurt your sentiments,” he posted on X, tagging Samantha. “The way you have grown in the industry with your own will power is not only admirable but also inspirational. If you or your fans feel offended by comments, I unconditionally withdraw my comments.”
The minister further said she made the comments against KTR accusing him of humiliating her. “He instigated me, and in response, overcome by emotions, I criticised KTR, and in the process spoke about a certain family. I have no hard feelings and hatred towards anyone from that family. I realised my mistake. I hurt them regarding the same issue, due to which I was hurt. No one should be hurt and humiliated the way I was,” she added.
KTR said he issued a defamation notice on Surekha on Wednesday. “Her remarks are baseless and malicious, aimed at tarnishing my reputation by making unsubstantiated claims,” the BRS leader said.
Surekha alleged that BRS social media activists were targeting her online and defaming her by making abusive comments against her.
