Under attack for her comments on the divorce of actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya, forest minister Konda Surekha on Thursday withdrew her remarks that triggered strong reactions from political leaders and the Telugu cinema with actor Akkineni Nagarjuna suing her for defamation. The minister said her intention was to only highlight how BRS working president KT Rama Rao “belittles women”.In a post on her X, Surekha addressed Samantha, saying, “I respect women like you who have achieved success through hard work. If you or your fans are upset about my remarks, I am withdrawing them. Please do not think otherwise.”
Nagarjuna, who hit out at the minister on Wednesday, has filed a defamation case against Surekha in the Nampally court under section 356 (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). In his complaint, a copy of which was shared by son Naga Chaitanya on his social media, Nagarjuna has alleged that the minister’s remarks damaged his family’s reputation.