Hyderabad: Prominent actor and Telugu Desam legislator Nandamuri Balakrishna has triggered a big storm in Andhra Pradesh politics with his outburst against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In a speech during the daylong fast by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, in Vijayawada on Friday, Balakrishna made controversial remarks personally targeting Modi and calling him names.
The Telugu film star, who is also brother-in-law to Chandrababu Naidu, chose to speak in Hindi, although he is not very fluent in it.
He said he was using the language so that Modi could understand his remarks.
What has angered BJP leaders in both Telugu states, where they have taken to the streets to protest, was the choice of words the film actor used to describe Modi— including eunuch, “ghaddar” (traitor) and “namak haram” (disloyal) .
Balakrishna hit out at Modi for not keeping his promises to Andhra Pradesh including granting the special category status to the state post bifurcation. Naidu had gone on day long fast to press the same demands.
“This is not your Gujarat, that you can dominate. This is Andhra,” Balakrishna said as the crowd roared in appreciation.
Accusing Modi of playing “cheap” politics in the state and working to create differences between south and north of India, he said the public would chase Modi and assault him if they got the chance. He advised Modi to learn Telugu, the second most widely spoken language in the country and also learn to respect the seniors.
“This warning for you Modi”, he said speaking in singular Hindi, a form of disrespect. “If you appear in public the people will beat you up and make you run for your life. You may go and hide in a bunker but people will not spare you”.
Balakrishna warned that the BJP would not get a single seat in Andhra Pradesh or anywhere else in the south.
“This is war. We allied with the BJP as we thought they would support the state which was suffering due to the bifurcation. All possible ways of negotiations are over. Now the war will begin. Not just the people of Andhra, the entire country is against you now,” he said.
The situation on Saturday took an ugly turn with the workers of the BJP and Telugu Desam party clashing at many places including Nellore. While the BJP workers tried to set the actor’s effigies, the TDP worekrs and Balakrishna’s fans tried to prevent them.
Tension gripped Nellore town when rival groups clashed near Gandhi Statue attacking each other. While BJP men were shouting slogans against Balakrishna, the TDP workers were raising slogans against Modi.
About seven people were injured in the incident.
Police had to use mild force to disperse the groups.
In Nandigama town near Vijayawada also the two groups came to blows. BJP workers “presented” a memorandum to the NTR statue pleading to give wisdom to his son. They also tried to burn the effigy of Balakrishna but police stopped them.
A delegation of BJP leaders led by Vishnu Kumar Raju also met the state governor ESL Narasimhan in Visakhapatanam and urged him to take action against Balakrishna for abusing the Prime Minister.
