- A YSRCP worker was arrested for displaying a placard with a provocative slogan at a rally
- YSRCP leader Jagan Mohan Reddy defended using film dialogues in political contexts
- Jagan Reddy accused TDP of involvement in the placard incident and criticised Chandrababu Naidu
A poster of a dialogue from actor Allu Arjun's movie 'Pushpa 2' has triggered a row between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his predecessor YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
A worker of Mr Reddy's party, YSRCP, was arrested for showing a placard with a provocative slogan "Rapa Rapa Narukutham" (we'll chop heads one by one) during Mr Reddy's recent public rally.
The poster referred to a possible YSRCP return to power after the 2029 state assembly elections.
Speaking on the controversy during a press conference, Mr Reddy on Thursday said there was nothing wrong with using film dialogues.
"Is it a democracy or not, that we cannot even use film dialogues? Is it wrong to do this (gestures) or do that? We are not living in a democracy?" he asked.
He also claimed that the person who held the placard belonged to Mr Naidu's Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
"Maybe he couldn't tolerate the wrongdoings of his own party's leader, Chandrababu, and that's why he was talking about chopping off heads of his people," Mr Reddy quipped.
Mr Naidu also reacted to the controversy and said that "criminals only work with a criminal mindset".
"They are trying to just divert the public's attention," Mr Naidu, who returned to power last year, said.
Mr Naidu's son and Telangana Minister Nara Lokesh also slammed Mr Reddy and said his "attitude was very dangerous for democracy".
"Will you slaughter them like sheep? What does it mean that you are defending the language of your admirer? Your attitude is very dangerous for democracy," he posted on X, and tagged Mr Reddy.
