A “quote tweet” by singer Adnan Sami of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy sparked controversy on Wednesday, 11 January.
This came after Jagan took to social media to congratulate director SS Rajamouli’s RRR team for winning the Golden Globe Award in the Best Original Song Category.
While he claimed that the Telugu flag was flying high, Sami appeared to correct him by saying that it was the Indian flag that was fluttering because of the achievement of the song “Naatu Naatu“.
The row continued on Thursday as Andhra Pradesh Cabinet ministers as well as YSRCP leaders took to social media to rally behind Jagan and slam Sami’s comments.
Sami reacted to the politicians’ comments by posting messages to them in an apparent effort to clarify his stand.
Telugu flag? You mean INDIAN flag right? We are Indians first & so kindly stop separating yourself from the rest of the country…Especially internationally, we are one country!
This ‘separatist’ attitude is highly unhealthy as we saw in 1947!!!
Thank you…Jai HIND!🇮🇳 https://t.co/rE7Ilmcdzb— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 11, 2023
Sami sparks controversy after CM Jagan wish RRR
Wishing the crew of the RRR movie, CM Jagan Reddy posted on social media, “The #Telugu flag is flying high! On behalf of #AndhraPradesh, I congratulate @mmkeeravaani, @ssrajamouli, @tarak9999, @AlwaysRamCharan and the entire team of @RRRMovie. We are incredibly proud of you! #GoldenGlobes2023 [sic]”.
Sami sparked the controversy when he replied to the Andhra CM Jagan Reddy that “we are Indians first”, adding that his attitude was “unhealthy”. and
Sami’s post on social media read, “Telugu flag? You mean INDIAN flag right? We are Indians first & so kindly stop separating yourself from the rest of the country…Especially internationally, we are one country! This ‘separatist’ attitude is highly unhealthy as we saw in 1947!!! Thank you…Jai HIND. [sic]”
It may be noted that Sami, who was born in England, was a citizen of Pakistan till 2016. That’s when he renounced it and became an Indian citizen.
AP politicians trade words with Sami
AP Health Minister Rajini Vidadala seemed to make an effort to diffuse the tension when she wrote on Twitter: “Rather than overthinking on Twitter, maybe you should work towards getting India another #GoldenGlobem@AdnanSamiLive [sic]”.
He replied that a statesman such as Jagan should share the pride of this achievement with “his Nation INDIA which this State comes under & in the name of which this Telugu film is being recognised abroad! [sic]”
Whilst exhibiting pride of Origin, it is not beneath the dignity of a senior statesman such as a Chief Minister to share the pride of this achievement with his Nation INDIA which this State comes under & in the name of which this Telugu film is being recognised abroad! https://t.co/Oj5NydOsf3
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 11, 2023
While asking Sami to refrain from making provocative statements, YSRCP spokesperson S Rajiv Krishna observed that Jagan posted the message in happiness since most of the people connected to RRR were Telugu.
However, Sami retorted that a senior statesman while sharing the joy over a Telugu movie was also expected to share this joy with the nation.
I’m sure u know ‘Patriotism’ thus not needing any lessons in it but evidently u need lessons in ‘Statesmanship’!
A senior statesman of India (CM), whilst understandably expressing joy over a Telugu film, is expected, in his stature to ALSO share that joy with his Nation INDIA! https://t.co/HLIFhnOLQq— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 11, 2023
Sami also drew criticism from Andhra Pradesh Minister of Industries and Commerce Gudivada Amarnath, who pointed out that his pride in being Telugu did not take away his identity as an Indian.
We are proud of our language, our culture and our identity.
And I proclaim again, WE ARE TELUGU. @AdnanSamiLive, you are no one to pass judgement on our patriotism.
My pride in being Telugu does not take away from my identity as an Indian. https://t.co/Z6ldHw94hh
— Gudivada Amarnath (@gudivadaamar) January 11, 2023
Referring to Telugu people, YSRCP Member of Parliament Maddila Gurumoorthy said, “Our love for the Telugu heartland is integral to our love for India!”
Our love for the Telugu heartland is integral to our love for India! #NaatuNaatu and #RRR are India’s pride that has been brought by a team of hardworking #Telugu people. https://t.co/4rDCvx409j
— Maddila Gurumoorthy (@GuruMYSRCP) January 11, 2023
Sami continues to defend himself
Sami eventually noted that Indians should be proud of their regional heritage, and posted several messages on social media in defence of this stance.
“But the word ‘India’ was not mentioned in that tweet!!” he noted in a message.
Pt. Ravi Shankar ji made INDIAN Classical Music popular to the world thru his Sitar by technically playing North Indian Classical music. However, for d world, it was INDIAN Music. The fruits of his labour wr benefitted by every Indian musician regardless of instrument or region! pic.twitter.com/EGyKK2locf
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 11, 2023
Those who are born into anything, they get it in their ‘lap’. They made no effort to get it…Those who convert to something, they first study it; educate themselves about it; believe in it, struggle for it & then achieve it- Then they VALUE IT & Never take it for granted!! https://t.co/oK61D8pxUG
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 11, 2023
When Satyajit Ray ji won an Honorary Oscar in 1991, was only Bengal proud of that achievement or did the entire India have a right to be proud? Did the CM of Bengal at that time, Sri Jyoti Basu ji declare it as only a Bengali achievement? No! It was a national moment of pride!
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 11, 2023
Mixed reactions to Sami’s tweet
Sami’s message elicited mixed opinions on social media.
While some echoed his views, others argued that RRR‘s win had brought great pride to Andhra Pradesh.
Here’s a selection of the tweet:
This is pure Telugu cinema. Not a Bollywood film.#RRRMovie director #SSRajamouli himself stated during a press conference in the United States.
Our Language is Our Pride! https://t.co/3e8TYiWgEr pic.twitter.com/MXQFbkDJma
— Rajinikanth Vellalacheruvu (@rajinikanthlive) January 12, 2023
Nailed it. When Indians around the world ask me where I am from, I say "I am Indian" and they say "yeah but you’re a Nair which means Kerala, right?!" And my response is "yes, Kerala is in India, I am Indian."
End of conversation. https://t.co/aM6gDu2LF8— Vin Nair "V/" (@vinsinners) January 12, 2023
Adnan Sami was miraculously blind when Hindi is being imposed on states but will claim hypernationalism as convenient. https://t.co/qYaKEZKDB0
— Dr Aratrika Ganguly (@aratrika_g08) January 12, 2023
Gosh! Such pedestrian grasp of comprehension!🙄👌😄
— Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 12, 2023
I disagree, Adnan. I can’t be a true Indian unless I am a true Bengali first. Therein lies my cultural roots, my identity, my being. When a Telugu film is honoured, India’s honoured. @ysjagan is right. There’s no India without our regional identities. They make us who we are. https://t.co/I8I6ehqmys
— Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) January 11, 2023
We r Asians first , so kindly stop separating yourself from rest of the continent . Especially globally we r one continent .😂😂 https://t.co/na49OfTo01
— HELLO (@ROCKINGg25) January 12, 2023
Perfect slipper shot to a criminal who had 30+ ED cases.
He is on bail from CBI cases. Oh, cases are so real – he pays 10lakhs/day to prominent lawyers to just stay out of jail.He spent 10-15 crores/MLA and 25-50 crores/MP in 2019 elections and won.
Ignore this bastard. https://t.co/4DIFTvB0yA
— TeluguThinker (@teluguInUs) January 11, 2023
What's wrong if jagan says #TeluguFlag ? The struggle was from Telugu ppl let them take the credit . Don't be too harsh. https://t.co/ej0R4dbn8g
— Khalida Parveen (@kparveen2005) January 12, 2023
