Telangana Congress leader Konda Surekha has issued a public clarification following the uproar over her remarks that controversially linked the divorce of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu to Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) working president, KT Rama Rao. The statement, aimed to address the intense backlash her comments sparked.
The controversy began when Surekha, while criticising KT Rama Rao, alleged that he had played a role in the divorce of the high-profile celebrity couple. She accused him of tapping the phones of actresses and blackmailing them, a claim that stirred significant debate.
Taking to the social media platform X, Surekha clarified her intent, stating that her remarks were meant to challenge KT Rama Rao’s treatment of women and not to offend actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu or her fans.
“My comments are meant to question a leader’s belittling of women and not to hurt your (Samantha Prabhu’s) sentiments. The way you have grown up with self-power is not only an admiration for me but also an ideal… If you or your fans are offended by my comments, I unconditionally retract my comments. Don’t think otherwise,” she said in her post.
Surekha’s comments came after she linked the BRS leader to the personal lives of the actors during a speech on Wednesday. The Congress leader claimed that KT Rama Rao, during his time as a minister, was involved in phone tapping and blackmailing actresses, leading to their alleged drug addiction and other personal struggles. She specifically mentioned that this behavior was responsible for the divorce between Samantha and Naga Chaitanya.
The allegations prompted an immediate backlash, with Samantha Ruth Prabhu issuing a statement on Instagram, asking for privacy. She denied any political involvement in her personal life, emphasizing that her divorce was a mutual decision reached amicably by both parties.
“My divorce was a personal matter and was based on mutual consent. There is no political conspiracy or external force involved. I request everyone to stop speculating about my personal life,” Samantha said.
Nagarjuna Akkineni, father of Naga Chaitanya, also condemned Surekha’s remarks. He urged the Congress leader to refrain from using the personal lives of film stars to make political statements and asked for privacy and respect for his son’s family.
“These are private matters, and it is not right to exploit them for political purposes. Everyone should respect each other’s personal lives, and this type of comment is uncalled for,” Nagarjuna stated.
In response to the controversy, KT Rama Rao sent a legal notice to Konda Surekha, demanding an immediate retraction of her statements. The BRS leader accused her of attempting to tarnish his reputation and stated that her comments were baseless.
Surekha, while offering her retraction, has not directly addressed the defamation notice but continues to maintain that her remarks were intended to question KT Rama Rao’s alleged behavior, not to hurt any sentiments within the film industry.
Related posts:
