Telangana's Forest Minister Konda Surekha's disparaging comments against women in the film industry, made as part of her bid to take on the Opposition BRS, have stirred a hornet's nest with several Tollywood personalities and netizens rallying against her.
Published Oct 03, 2024 | 8:35 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 03, 2024 | 9:57 AM
Konda Surekha's unwarranted reference to Naga Chaitanya's divorce has stirred a hornet's nest in Telangana.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s ambitious Thames-like riverfront upon Musi may add glitter to the city but would not clean up the retrograde mindset ruling the state unless he steps in and initiates corrective measures.
The latest diatribe was from Minister for Forests Konda Surekha. Her disparaging comments against women in the film industry, made as part of her bid to take on the Opposition BRS, have stirred a hornet’s nest with several Tollywood personalities and netizens rallying against her.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao even slapped a defamation notice on her on Wednesday, 2 October.
Speaking to reporters in Hyderabad, the minister held Rama Rao responsible for the divorce of Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu. Surekha claimed that KTR tapped the actor couple’s phone calls, eventually leading to their divorce.
“KTR is the reason many female actors are getting married and leaving the industry. He is addicted to drugs and got them (female actors) addicted as well. He held rave parties and blackmailed them,” she said.
The minister’s comments forced the divorced persons to speak out in public about the incident they had left behind three years ago.
In a statement, Naga 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”.
“Today, the claim made by Minister Konda Surekha garu is not only false, it is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. Women deserve to be supported and respected. Taking advantage and exploiting the personal life decisions of celebrities for the sake of media headlines is shameful,” he added.
Samantha asked the minister to keep her name out of political battles. “My divorce is a personal matter, and I request that you refrain from speculating about it. Our choice to keep things private does not invite misrepresentation,” she posted on X.
“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 added.
Responding sharply to the minister’s comment, Naga Chaitanya’s father and veteran actor Nagarjuna Akkineni demanded Surekha withdraw the “completely irrelevant and false” remarks.
“I strongly condemn the comments of the Honorable Minister Mrs. Konda Surekha. Don’t use the lives of movie stars who stay away from politics to criticize your opponents. Please respect other people’s privacy,” Nagarjuna said on X.
“As a woman in a responsible position, your comments and accusations against our family are completely irrelevant and false. I request you to withdraw your comments immediately,” he added.
Actor Junior NTR termed the minister’s comment “reckless behaviour”. “Konda Surekha garu, dragging personal lives into politics is a new low. Public figures, especially those in responsible positions like you, must maintain dignity and respect for privacy,” he said on X.
“It’s disheartening to see baseless statements thrown around carelessly, especially about the film industry. We will not sit quietly while others make baseless allegations against us. We should rise above this and maintain respect for each other’s boundaries. Let’s ensure our society does not normalize such reckless behavior in democratic India,” he said, adding a hashtag, #FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate.
Prakash Raj was cryptic. “What shameless politics… women who act in movies are small?”, he asked.
Actor-turned-politician Khushbu Sundar felt only those who needed two minutes of fame and indulged in yellow journalism spoke such a language.
Konda Surekha garu, dragging personal lives into politics is a new low. Public figures, especially those in responsible positions like you, must maintain dignity and respect for privacy. It’s disheartening to see baseless statements thrown around carelessly, especially about the…
— Jr NTR (@tarak9999) October 2, 2024
Actor Chiranjeevi too condemned the remarks made by Minister Konda Surekha. Demanding the minister to withdraw the remarks, the actor wrote on X: “No one should stoop to this level for scoring political points by dragging unconnected people and more so women into their political slugfest and make distasteful fictional allegations.”
Chiranjeevi too used the hashtag #FilmIndustryWillNotTolerate.
I am extremely pained to see the disgraceful remarks made by an honourable woman minister.
It is a shame that celebs and members of film fraternity become soft targets as they provide instant reach and attention. We as Film Industry stand united in opposing such vicious verbal…
— Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) October 3, 2024
“But here, I see an absolute disgrace to womanhood. Konda Surekha garu, I am sure some values were instilled in you. Where have they flown out of the window? A person in a responsible position cannot make such baseless, appalling and degrading statements about my industry, my place of worship,” she posted on X.
“Cinema industry will not be a mute spectator to such abuse anymore. Enough is enough. You have to apologise, as a woman to another woman, to the entire movie industry for such baseless and false allegations. Democracy in India is not a one-way traffic, but we shall refrain from stooping to your level,” Khushbu added.
A face-off between Surekha and the BRS has been on for the past few days after a picture was put out allegedly by the BRS activists on social media, showing BJP MP M Raghuanandan Rao garlanding her. The post had suggestive comments that hurt Surekha deeply.
At a news conference at Gandhi Bhavan a couple of days ago, Surekha broke down over the social media trolling against her. Raghunandan Rao decried the post and said he would fight alongside her as her brother. BRS leader T Harish Rao condemned the post.
I thought it was only those who need 2 minute fame and indulge in yellow journalism speak this language. But here, I see an absolute disgrace to womanhood. Konda Surekha garu, I am sure some values were instilled in you. Where have they flown out of the window? A person in a…
— KhushbuSundar (@khushsundar) October 2, 2024
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
