Tirupati: A member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board has filed a criminal complaint against actor Prakash Raj in a Tirupati court, alleging that Raj’s remarks on the Ramayana and Hindu deities were offensive and hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
G. Bhanuprakash Reddy, a BJP leader, submitted the complaint before the IV-additional judicial magistrate on Monday, seeking legal action against the actor under relevant provisions of the BNS.
He had earlier issued a legal notice to Prakash Raj and lodged complaints with the police in Tirupati, but no action was taken.
In his petition, Bhanuprakash alleged that Prakash Raj made controversial remarks during the Kerala Literature Festival in January, and videos of his comments later circulated widely on social media. The complaint specifically referred to the actor’s remarks on incidents from the Ramayana, including references to the journey of Lord Rama and Lakshmana to Lanka.
“Raj attempted to project the Ramayana through the Aryan-Dravidian narrative and that this could create divisions among people on regional and religious lines. The actor’s statements had the potential to disturb communal harmony and public order,” the petitioner said.