TIRUPATI: The TTD vigilance wing, which initiated a probe into the purported telephonic conversation of former Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC) chairman Prudhviraj Balireddy, grilled the top brass of SVBC and other staff on Monday. The officials have also been able to establish the identity of the woman employee, and are trying to contact her.
Though the audio’s authenticity is still unverified, this is a storm that the Jagan government was least expecting. The officials are making arrangements to send the audio tape to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL).
It may be mentioned that the TTD has set up SVBC in 2008 for publicising the Tirumala temple activities. The channel has a huge following in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for its live telecast of Tirumula’s Lord Venkateshwara temple proceedings. Meanwhile, Prudhviraj claimed that the audio clip was ‘doctored’ and it was the handiwork of the Opposition parties.
Women’s organisations and political parties lashed out at the Telugu film actor for bringing down the reputation of the broadcasting arm of the TTD. Women under the banner of All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) took out a procession in the city and raised slogans decrying his ‘cheap talk.’
CITU district secretary K Murali, who is also honorary president of the SVBC Employees Association, demanded that Prudhviraj be immediately stripped of his post and a comprehensive probe initiated into the allegations of harassment by women employees.
TDP general secretary and former TUDA Chairman G Narasimha Yadav demanded suspension of Prudhviraj, besides booking a case under the Nirbhaya Act for harassing women. INTUC district honorary president P Naveenkumar Reddy flayed the successive governments for turning SVBC into a political rehabilitation centre for its supporters, which had led to such ‘unfortunate’ incidents.
Alleged indecent telephonic talk
The audio clip allegedly shows Prudhviraj allegedly sexually harassing a female employee over the phone
Based on a report submitted by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) vigilance wing to its Chairman YV Subba Reddy, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed him to step down from the post immediately. The incident triggered a huge row and left TTD authorities red-faced
The rise and fall of Prudhvi
Prudhviraj has acted in more than 90 films as a side actor
He was appointed channel head after YSRC came to power in May last year
Prudhviraj had joined the YSRC in 2018. He even accompanied Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in his ‘Praja Sankalpa Yatra’ ahead of the elections, in West Godavari district
Prudhviraj had last week incensed the CM after he described protesting farmers of Amaravati as 'paid artistes enacting a drama'
After he was given a warning by senior YSRC leaders, he apologised to the farmers in the Amavarati region