Adluri takes up Ponnam remarks with party high command and Chief Minister

SC, ST Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman raised objections to alleged derogatory remarks by BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, calling for a public apology. He has written to party leaders and plans to meet top Congress figures amid election season tensions.

Hyderabad: With the local body elections and the Jubilee Hills byelection approaching, infighting within the Congress came to the surface after SC, ST and Minorities Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman strongly objected to comments made against him by BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar.

Laxman also took exception to Labour Minister G Vivek Venkatswamy for, as he put it, “snubbing the issue” and maintaining a strategic silence. Members of the SC–Madiga community have taken serious note of Ponnam Prabhakar’s remarks and are demanding a public apology to Laxman.

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The controversy erupted during a programme on Sunday when Laxman arrived about ten minutes late. In his absence, the BC Welfare Minister allegedly abused him, reportedly calling him a “buffalo” while speaking to Vivek Venkatswamy and saying that the SC Welfare Minister “does not know anything.”

“I leave it to the wisdom of Ponnam Prabhakar for making such comments. It will be wise if he tenders apologies in public before the issue snowballs into a major controversy,” Laxman is seen saying in a video circulating on social media.

Despite several people raising the issue, Ponnam Prabhakar has maintained that the comments were not made by him, Laxman said.

“If Ponnam Prabhakar does not apologise by tomorrow, he will be responsible for the consequences in the State,” Laxman warned.

He also advised Vivek Venkatswamy to “mend his ways.” Laxman belongs to the SC–Madiga community, while Vivek Venkatswamy hails from the SC–Mala community.

“Vivek Venkatswamy does not like sitting next to me. The moment I arrive at a programme or meeting, he wants to leave the venue,” Laxman remarked.

The SC Welfare Minister said he has already written to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud.

Sources in the Congress said Laxman has also taken up the issue with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, who, with elections around the corner, reportedly advised him to maintain calm.

“I am going to meet Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to discuss the issue. I can bear any personal humiliation but will not tolerate any humiliation of my community,” Laxman said.