Kannada actor Upendra has been booked by the Channammanakere Acchukattu police under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for the alleged racist remark he made during a live chat on a social media platform.
Upendra, during a live chat discussed individuals who spread negativity and criticize on the internet said : “Ooru enda mele holageri idde irutte” (there will be a Dalit hamlet in every village).
Dalit activists Gopal Giriyappa and Banashankari Vasu filed a complaint with the Social Welfare Department seeking action against Upendra, following which Madhusudhan K.N., Assistant Director of Social Welfare Department, filed a complaint with the Channammanakere Acchukattu police, who registered a FIR against Upendra under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
Upendra made an apology for his remark and removed the video where he had made those remarks shortly afterward.
“While speaking live on social media, I mistakenly used a Kannada proverb that has hurt the sentiments of many. So, I have deleted the video immediately, and I apologise for the same,” he posted on social media.