Vijay Devarakonda Clarifies Comments on Tribals After Public Outrage

Actor Vijay Devarakonda has issued a clarification following the controversy sparked by his recent remarks at a retro-themed pre-release event. During his speech, he made a comment while referring to Pakistan, saying, “Why are we fighting like tribes?” This statement drew sharp criticism from leaders of the Tribal Joint Action Committee (JAC), who alleged that his words were derogatory toward tribal communities.

The leaders accused Vijay Devarakonda of mocking their history and expressed anger over what they perceived as disrespectful language. They demanded an immediate apology from the actor. Kishanraj Chauhan, President of the Telangana Tribals Association and an advocate, along with other representatives, filed a complaint with the police over the matter.

In response, Vijay Devarakonda has now issued a press note offering clarity on his remarks. “It has come to my attention that some people’s sentiments were hurt by the comments I made during the ‘Retro’ audio launch event. I want to clarify that I did not speak with the intention to hurt anyone. I have immense respect for tribal communities. It was never my aim to insult them,” he said.

He further explained, “I was speaking about unity—how Indian people should stand together and move forward collectively. My comment was solely about that. I never deliberately made any statement to belittle anyone. The word ‘tribes’ was used in a different sense. I have never shown any bias against anyone. I consider everyone as part of my family, as my brothers and sisters. If anyone was hurt by my comments, I sincerely express my regret. My only intention was to talk about peace.”

Vijay Devarakonda also elaborated on the context behind his use of the term ‘tribes’. “I used that word in its historical and dictionary sense. I was referring to how, hundreds of years ago, society and people were organized in groups. At that time, clashes often occurred between two factions. Before the beginning of civilization, there were clans and kingdoms. I was not referring to Scheduled Tribes at all. The categorization came only after the British began ruling India. That classification has not even completed 100 years,” he said in his statement.