NEW DELHI: BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai launched a scathing attack on Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy for police action against Telugu actor Allu Arjun in the stampede incident and said that it is a clear case of victimisation and bullying, orchestrated by Telangana CM.
He criticised the CM’s handling of the situation, accusing him of leveraging state powers for personal and political vendettas. He also claimed that the vandalisation at the actor’s residence was done by people from the CM’s constituency.
Addressing reporters, Annamalai said that Reddy was attempting to outshine Telugu superstar Allu Arjun.
“I saw Mr Revanth Reddy’s interview, and it feels like he’s trying to compete with Allu Arjun for the title of superstar. If he believes he’s a bigger star, he should make a movie and see if he can pull crowds like Allu Arjun,” Annamalai remarked.
The Tamil Nadu BJP leader also rebuked the Telangana government’s handling of the case, alleging bias and political motivations. “The way chief minister Revanth Reddy has spoken about Allu Arjun reeks of hatred rather than neutrality. Instead of focusing on governance, it appears that he is engaging in a competition to outshine the superstar,” he said.
Annamalai questioned the treatment being given to the actor and said that the stampede during ‘Pushpa 2’ screening was an accident which was not intentionally planned by the actor. “Did Allu Arjun have the intention or motive for someone to lose their life? The incident was an accident, and he has shown remorse, but this relentless targeting is unwarranted,” he added.
The comments come as Allu Arjun faces legal scrutiny over the December 4 stampede at Sandhya Theatre in Hyderabad, where a woman named Revathi lost her life and her son was critically injured. Despite claims of cooperation with the investigation, the actor has been accused of negligence and violating public safety norms by organizing a roadshow without official permission.
Annamalai suggested that the Congress’s actions, including protests at Allu Arjun’s residence, were politically motivated. “The people throwing stones and creating chaos are politically aligned. It’s clear that Congress is using this incident as a stage to settle scores with someone who has refused to toe their line,” he stated.
“State powers are meant to serve the people, not to play politics. This entire episode shows Congress’s inability to focus on governance,” Annamalai added.
Annamalai emphasised the need for impartiality and adherence to the rule of law. “Cinema stars, despite their fame, must be treated equally under the law. However, this case reflects a clear misuse of power for political gains. Bullying and victimising an individual, especially someone who has expressed regret and cooperated fully, serve no justice,” he stated.
Earlier, BJP leaders such as Pradeep Bhandari and Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Congress orchestrated the vandalism at Allu Arjun’s Jubilee Hills residence. “This is vendetta politics. The Congress, unable to tolerate a neutral voice like Arjun’s, is resorting to state-sponsored attacks,” Poonawalla said, pointing to the involvement of individuals linked to the Kodangal Youth Congress in the protests.
Bhandari alleged that the protestors were close associates of CM Revanth Reddy, accusing the Congress of “vendetta politics.”
While Telangana CM Revanth Reddy has held the actor responsible for the tragedy, alleging violations of public safety, BJP leaders have rallied around Arjun, accusing Congress of authoritarian tactics.