Hyderabad: Controversial remarks by astrologer Venu Swamy on the Medaram Sammakka Sarakka Jatara triggered strong backlash, with Telangana groups accusing him of insulting Hindu deities and regional culture.
Venu Swamy rose to fame after claiming he predicted the divorce of actors Akkineni Naga Chaitanya and Samantha. Recently, he made remarks related to the Medaram Jatara.
According to Venu Swamy, nearly one crore devotees from Telangana attended the Sammakka Sarakka Jatara. He also said that devotees who visited the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple travelled to Medaram to fulfil vows.
Venu Swamy’s comments spark Telangana outrage
Venu Swamy stated that devotees offered jaggery as gold to Sammakka Sarakka during the Jatara. He further claimed that devotees sacrificed goats and consumed alcohol at Medaram.
He said that lakhs of goats were sacrificed during the event. Venu Swamy alleged that the money linked to these sacrifices could buy a luxury villa in Jubilee Hills.
He also remarked that liquor consumption was very high during the Jatara. In another statement, Venu Swamy said devotees who ate non-vegetarian food also visited the Venkateswara Temple.
These remarks angered Telangana advocates and cultural groups across the state. The groups accused Venu Swamy of insulting Hindu beliefs and portraying Telangana people as habitual drinkers. They demanded an immediate public apology, saying his comments hurt religious sentiments.