‘Buffalo’ remark sparks caste row in Telangana Cabinet

A political storm has erupted in Telangana after Backward Classes (BC) Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar — while speaking to his Cabinet colleague about punctuality and life — allegedly referred to his another colleague, Scheduled Caste (SC) Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar as a ‘buffalo’, during a byelection campaign event in Jubilee Hills on Sunday (October 5, 2025).

The comment, widely circulated on social media, was made when Mr. Prabhakar was getting ready to address a press conference along with another Minister G. Vivek. Mr. Laxman Kumar was supposed to join the press conference and the delay apparently annoyed Mr. Prabhakar. According to the video, he was seen whispering to Mr. Vivek about awareness of life, value for time and said, ‘He is a buffalo, what does he know about it?’. Later, he was seen speaking to senior leader Mohd Fahim sitting on the other side.

Minister for Scheduled Castes Development, Adluri Laxman Kumar. File
| Photo Credit:
RAMAKRISHNA G

The audio was recorded by the TV channels as they prepared to broadcast the press conference live, and later circulated on social media, accusing Mr. Prabhakar of disrespecting his Cabinet colleague with an objectionable comment. Though Mr. Prabhakar did not mention the name of Mr. Laxman Kumar in the video clip, it is assumed that he was referring to Mr. Laxman Kumar, a Dalit leader.

After the video went viral with the opposition Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders spreading it and questioning Mr. Prabhakar’s behaviour, Mr. Laxman released a video expressing his anguish over the alleged insult and demanded a public apology from Mr. Prabhakar.

“As Laxman Kumar, he can abuse me, but abusing my caste is not correct. I am from the Madiga caste. He should apologise immediately,” Mr. Laxman Kumar said, threatening to take up the issue with the party high command, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge. “If he had criticised my work, I would have taken it in my stride. But his remark targeted my community,” Mr. Laxman Kumar said in the statement.

Ponnam Prabhakar claims video was manipulated

Mr. Prabhakar, a Backward Class leader, however, strongly denied the allegations, claiming the video was ‘manipulated’ and his words were taken out of context. “I never used any caste-related slur. My comments were about punctuality and not about anyone personally,” he said in a statement, blaming the Opposition for “trying to create divisions within the Congress.”

As the issue turned into a murky episode involving two Cabinet colleagues, sources said, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy held a meeting with both ministers to defuse tensions. Later, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud spoke with both leaders and urged them to maintain restraint. The State Congress chief also announced that the issue had been resolved.

Both leaders hail from Karimnagar district with influence among BC and SC groups. The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Congress, when it is getting ready to face the Jubilee Hills by-poll and also the rural local body polls.