BJP leaders have rallied behind Telugu superstar Allu Arjun, who is facing controversy over the tragic stampede-like incident at the premiere of Pushpa 2: The Rule. The incident occurred on December 4, when a huge crowd gathered at Hyderabad’s Sandhya Theatre to see Allu Arjun. Chaos erupted when the actor waved to fans from his car’s sunroof, leading to the tragic death of a woman named Revathi and injuries to her child.

BJP leader Anurag Thakur criticized Telangana Congress leaders for their remarks against Allu Arjun. He urged the party to prevent members from making statements that could harm the reputation of the Telugu film industry. Some Congress leaders had slammed the actor for calling the stampede an accident, refuting allegations from Chief Minister Revanth Reddy about a “roadshow” before the film’s screening.

Addressing the media in Hyderabad, Thakur highlighted the significant contributions of South Indian cinema, particularly Telugu films, in elevating Indian cinema globally. He warned that such negative remarks could tarnish these achievements. Thakur also pointed out that Allu Arjun had been honored with a National Award under the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government.

On December 13, Allu Arjun was arrested in connection with the incident and granted interim bail by the Telangana High Court. He was summoned for questioning on Tuesday.

BJP leader Amit Malviya also weighed in, claiming that the Telangana government, led by CM Revanth Reddy, is targeting Tollywood because film stars have refused to comply with the CM’s attempts to control the industry and extract money from them. Malviya pointed to the demolition of Nagarjuna’s convention center and personal attacks on other prominent Tollywood figures like Samantha Prabhu and Mohan Babu as part of a larger campaign of harassment.

Malviya further criticized the Congress for using coercion and extortion to target the livelihoods and reputations of people in pursuit of power and wealth. He argued that the Revanth Reddy-led government, now deeply unpopular after one year in office, was ripe for replacement, with the BJP positioned as a strong alternative.