Chiru accused of role in inter-caste marriage

Praja Rajyam president Chiranjeevi found himself in the midst of a controversy after he attended the wedding of Chetan, son of Katti Padma Rao, his party colleague and well-known Dalit writer.

The film star-turned-politician set off a fierce protest from Tammina Subba Rao and T. Mani, parents of the bride, Nalini, for reportedly calling her as his ‘adopted daughter’ at the wedding which was performed in their absence in ‘casteless tradition’ on Saturday last.

The actor’s aides said he had only attended the marriage as a guest. Mr Tammina Subba Rao and Mrs T. Vani of Gokavaram village in West Godavari district, told mediapersons that their daughter Nalini was abducted and brought to the city. The couple said they came to the city after getting a phone call from their daughter informing that she was in the poet’s house in Erramanzil Colony.

When they met Mr Padma Rao, he suggested that Nandini be allowed to marry his son Chetan as they were both majors. The parents did not approve of this and insisted on speaking to the girl. “We came to know that marriage was performed with the blessings of Chiranjeevi,” said Mr Subba Rao. The shocked parents rushed to the office of Praja Rajyam. “The people there sent us away saying they had no information about the girl,” said Ms Vani Rao. “Chiranjeevi not only attended the marriage at Film Nagar Club in Jubilee Hills but announced that he would adopt the girl.”

She said Chiranjeevi, who was upset by his own daughter’s elopement, should have talked to them. The couple threatened to hold a dharna and a hunger strike before the party office if Chiranjeevi did not hand over their daughter in the next 24 hours. “We are not opposed to our daughter’s wishes but we believe she was forced to marry,” said Ms Vani Rao. “Chiranjeevi, who spoke so much about his mother, should have understood our agony.” Mr Padma Rao denied that Nalini was forced and added that the actor had no role in the marriage. “Her parents are against the inter-caste marriage though we asked them to consider the children’s love for each other,” he said. The PR spokesperson, Mr P. Prabhakar, said Chiranjeevi had not promised to adopt the girl. “He just attended the marriage as a guest,” he said.