Balireddy Prithvi Raj, popularly known as Comedian Prithvi, headed the Sri Venkateshwara Bhakti Channel (SVBC), a popular free to air devotional channel run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
In a major embarrassment to ruling YSR Congress Party government in Andhra Pradesh, chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD)-run devotional channel resigned from his post on Sunday after a purported audio clip of his conversation with a lady employee wen viral.
Balireddy Prithvi Raj, popularly known as Comedian Prithvi, headed the Sri Venkateshwara Bhakti Channel (SVBC), a popular free to air devotional channel run by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
The man in the viral audio clip is heard making an indecent proposal to the woman.
Prithvi is a popular comedian in Telugu films and has acted in more than 100 films. He is also general secretary of YS Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSRCP. He was appointed as SVBC Chairman in July 2019.
While submitting his resignation, Prithvi said the man's voice in the audio clip is not his and claimed that it was fake.
"It is a huge conspiracy against me. That voice is not mine. In fact, I have requested TTD Chairman to conduct an inquiry and send the voice samples to the forensic lab," said Prithvi after sending his resignation.
A free to air television channel run by TTD, SVBC airs only devotional content of Lord Venkateshwara and is hugely followed by the devotees who can see all the sevas, poojas, information related to Tirumala and other TTD temples.
A motormouth, Prithvi's sharp political statements in recent past, especially with regards to agitating protestors in and around capital Amaravati, had put him in a tight spot and his position had become untenable.
"I had said that those protestors who call themselves farmers but actually are big-time TDP leaders were twisted out of context," Prithvi clarified, adding, "I never said anything against real farmers who feed us, but if any farmer feels hurt I am sorry."
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