Hyderabad: BJP leader Anurag Singh Thakur criticized certain Congress leaders in Telangana for their remarks regarding actor Allu Arjun, urging the party to prevent its members from making statements that could damage the reputation of the Telugu film industry.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, December 25, Thakur emphasized the significant contributions of South Indian cinema, particularly Telugu films, in enhancing India’s presence on the global cinematic stage.
Thakur expressed concern about the negative comments made by some Congress members, which he believes could undermine the achievements of the industry.
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He remarked, “The South Indian film industry, especially Telugu cinema, has elevated Indian cinema to international prominence. Unfortunately, such baseless statements risk tarnishing this reputation”.
He also highlighted that Allu Arjun received a National Award during Thakur’s tenure as Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Thakur questioned the political motivations behind the criticism directed at Arjun and warned that such remarks could harm both the industry’s and artists’ reputations.
During his visit to Hyderabad for the birth centenary celebrations of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Thakur reaffirmed the BJP’s commitment to good governance and development.
He noted that the BJP has maintained a clean record free of corruption allegations while enhancing India’s security and status as a nuclear power.
The context of these remarks follows a tragic incident on December 4 at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad during a screening of ‘Pushpa 2,’ where a stampede resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman and injuries to her eight-year-old son.
Allu Arjun was arrested on December 13 in connection with this incident but was later granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court.
Some Congress leaders have criticized Arjun for his comments about the stampede, labelling it a tragic accident and disputing claims made by chief minister Revanth Reddy regarding a “roadshow” prior to the screening.
