Telangana minister withdraws Chaitanya-Samantha divorce statement amid Nagarjuna's defamation suit
What's the story
Telangana Minister Konda Surekha has withdrawn her controversial statements about actor Akkineni Nagarjuna and his family. The move comes after Nagarjuna filed a criminal defamation complaint in a local court against Surekha for allegedly making defamatory remarks. In her post on X (formerly Twitter), Surekha said her comments weren't meant to hurt Nagarjuna or his family members.
Apology
'I regret any unintended impression...'
Surekha wrote, "I would wish to clarify that the statement I had made in relation to @iamnagarjuna Garu was not intended to hurt Nagarjuna Garu or his family members." "I had no intention of hurting or defaming Akkineni Nagarjuna Garu or his family members. I regret any unintended impression given in my statements in relation to them and withdraw the same."
Backlash
Surekha alleged Chaitanya-Samantha's divorce was due to KTR
Surekha's controversial remarks in October 2024 had drawn sharp reactions from both political leaders and the Telugu cinema industry. The comments were made after Nagarjuna's son Naga Chaitanya and actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu's divorce, which Surekha linked to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) President KT Rama Rao (KTR). She also made some shocking claims about Nagarjuna's family, leading to legal action against her.
Legal action
Nagarjuna, KTR filed defamation cases against Surekha
Following her controversial statements, Nagarjuna filed a defamation case against Surekha for allegedly harming the family's dignity and reputation. KTR also filed a case against her. The court had earlier recorded statements from Nagarjuna and others in this regard.
Public reaction
Netizens react to her statement
Surekha's withdrawal of statements has sparked mixed reactions online. While some welcomed her decision, others questioned why she didn't apologize to Prabhu and KTR as well. One fan wrote, "Unintended? If you had minimum regrets and respect then first you should apologize to the Woman actress you have thrown mud at." Another commented, "This cannot be called as an apology you are regretting not apologizing Minister garu."