Prominent Telugu film actor Vijay Deverakonda has sparked a controversy for allegedly making derogatory comments against tribal people.
His comments attracted objections from the tribal associations, who condemned them and demanded an apology.
The tribal groups reportedly said Vijay Deverakonda’s statements demeaned them.
A Hyderabad-based lawyer named Lal Chauhan has filed a police complaint against Deverakonda for comments he made during the pre-release event of Suriya-starrer ‘Retro’, reported Telangana Today.
Chauhan alleged that the actor in his speech about the Pahalgam terror attack remarked that the attacks were akin to clashes between tribal communities hundreds of years ago. The complaint against the actor was lodged at the SR Nagar police station in Hyderabad on Thursday, according to the media report.
The police told Telangana Today that “necessary action as per law will be taken after a legal opinion on the complaint”.
What did Vijay Deverakonda say?
At a ‘Retro’ event on Sunday, Deverakonda said: “The solution to what is happening in Kashmir is also to educate them (terrorists) and ensure they don’t get brainwashed. What will they achieve? Kashmir belongs to India, and Kashmiris are ours. Two years ago, I shot for Kushi in Kashmir. I have such good memories with them (the locals).”
He also said that the neighbouring country struggles to provide its citizens with basic necessities.
“Pakistan can’t even look after their own, who don’t have proper electricity and water. What do they want to do here? India doesn’t even need to attack Pakistan because Pakistanis themselves are fed up with their government and will attack them if this continues. They behave like tribals did 500 years ago with the way they fight. We should stand united as people and love each other. We always need to move forward as people and stay united. Education is super key. Let’s all be happy and keep our parents happy; only then can we progress,” the actor said.
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam that took the lives of 26 people is one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 Central Reserve Police Force jawans were killed.
