Popular South Indian actor Vijay Deverakonda faces charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for allegedly making derogatory remarks against tribal communities. He reportedly made the remarks in April this year during a film event. On June 17, police registered the case after Ashok Kumar Naik, the State President of the Joint Action Committee of Tribal Communities, lodged a formal complaint.
Vijay Deverakonda’s Alleged Casteist Remarks
According to Ashok Kumar Naik, the actor’s comments during a pre-release event for his film Retro were very offensive and racially insensitive towards tribal communities. Ashok said that Vijay Deverakonda compared the recent Pahalgam tragedy to tribal wars from 500 years ago and alleged that Vijay had linked Indian tribal groups to Pakistani terrorists. The State President mentioned that he found this statement to be extremely inaccurate and hurtful towards the sentiments of the tribal communities.
The comment was made back in April 2025. After backlash, On May 3, Vijay Deverakonda issued an apology on X (formerly Twitter) for his comments. In his post, Vijay stated that it was never his intention to offend any community through his remarks. And he deeply respects and considers Schedules Tribes as an integral part of the country. His only aim was to promote unity and peace.
Despite his apology, the committee decided to move forward with a complaint. The complaint has now taken shape of a charge under the SC/ST Act against the actor. Police confirmed that the legal action was taken after the complaint was officially filed and reviewed.
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Vijay Deverakonda’s Professional Career
Amidst the controversy, Vijay Deverakonda remains active in the industry. He recently starred in Nag Ashwin’s Kalki 2898 AD and Parasuram’s The Family Star. His latest movie is Kingdom, directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri and releasing on July 4. It is a Telugu spy action thriller film starring Deverakonda alongside Bhagyashri Borse and Satyadev.