Recent remarks by T Jayaprakash Reddy, popularly known as Jagga Reddy, have stirred significant controversy. Jagga Reddy, a prominent Indian politician and Working President of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, made scathing comments about Megastar Chiranjeevi and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. These remarks, particularly critical of their alleged hypocrisy regarding farmers’ issues, have sparked a strong backlash on social media.

Jagga Reddy’s Criticisms

Jagga Reddy’s comments centred around Chiranjeevi’s film “Khaidi No. 150,” which depicted the struggles of farmers, and Pawan Kalyan’s political support for the BJP. He questioned why Chiranjeevi, who highlighted farmers’ suicides and struggles in his film, remained silent when real farmers were allegedly killed during protests against the Modi government’s agricultural laws. Reddy also criticized Pawan Kalyan for supporting the BJP, accusing both brothers of profiting from farmers’ issues while failing to oppose the government’s policies that, according to him, harmed farmers.

Jagga Reddy’s Political Background

Jagga Reddy’s political journey has been marked by numerous party affiliations. Starting his career as a BJP councillor, he later joined the TRS and won as an MLA in 2004. He then defected to Congress, winning again in 2009. After a defeat in 2014, he joined the BJP with Pawan Kalyan’s support but lost the 2014 bypoll to Medak Lok Sabha constituency. Jagga Reddy returned to Congress and faced legal issues in 2018, including charges of impersonation, forgery, cheating, and human trafficking. There were even speculations of him joining the TRS couple of years ago, but he contested the 2023 election on a Congress ticket and lost.

Netizens’ Strong Counters to Jagga Reddy

Social media erupted with responses countering Jagga Reddy’s statements. Netizens highlighted several key points to defend Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan:

Pawan Kalyan’s Financial Support to Farmers: Pawan Kalyan has reportedly distributed nearly 30 crores of his personal money to tenant farmers. Netizens questioned Jagga Reddy’s awareness of this fact and challenged him to disclose any personal contributions he has made to the public.

Chiranjeevi’s Covid-19 Relief Efforts: During the Covid-19 pandemic, Chiranjeevi spent crores of his own money to distribute oxygen cylinders. Critics asked why Jagga Reddy overlooked these efforts in his accusations.

Local Issues in Sanga Reddy: Some users posted videos showing poor road conditions in Sanga Reddy, questioning why Jagga Reddy, despite being an MLA from the area, had not addressed these local infrastructure issues.

Jagga Reddy’s Own Political History: Many pointed out that Jagga Reddy began his political career with the BJP and even contested for an MP seat under its banner in 2014. They questioned his criticism of Modi’s leadership given his previous association with the party.

Understanding of Agricultural Laws: The most common counter was about Jagga Reddy’s understanding of the agricultural laws he labeled as “black laws.” Netizens challenged him to specify which provisions he opposed, suggesting his criticisms were unfounded.

Jagga Reddy’s comments on Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalyan have not only provoked a strong reaction from netizens but also raised questions about his own political consistency and contributions. Social media users and Congress leaders alike believe that targeting Chiranjeevi, who enjoys massive popularity in Telangana, might backfire. As the debate continues, the episode underscores the complexities and heated nature of political discourse in India.