Hyderabad: Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao on Sunday called for a thorough investigation into allegations raised by Miss England, Milla Magee, who withdrew from the ongoing Miss World 2025 pageant in Hyderabad, citing personal and ethical concerns.
The former minister condemned victim gaslighting in a post on 'X' and urged authorities to conduct a comprehensive probe into the matter.
"It takes a lot of guts to stand up and call out misogynistic mentality, especially on international forums like Miss World. You are a very strong woman, Milla Magee, and I am truly sorry you had to go through this in our state of Telangana. Telangana has a rich culture of respecting women. We revere them, respect them, and provide equal opportunities for growth. Some of the greatest leaders from our land are women like Rani Rudrama and Chityala Ailamma. Unfortunately, what you had experienced doesn't represent the real Telangana. I hope you do feel better soon," posted Rama Rao.
"As a father of a girl child, I wish no woman or girl ever has to go through such horrific experiences. Also, I strongly condemn the attitude of victim gaslighting and demand a thorough investigation into the allegations made by Miss England, Milla Magee," added the BRS leader.
Miss England, Milla Magee, has withdrawn from the Miss World 2025 pageant and returned home, citing concerns over the event's environment.
Speaking to British tabloid The Sun, Magee expressed that the pageant did not align with her vision of "beauty with a purpose". She also revealed that contestants were required to wear makeup at all times and remain dressed in ball gowns throughout the day, including during breakfast.
"The tipping point came when they were allegedly asked to socialise with middle-aged men as a gesture of appreciation for their financial contributions to the event," The Sun quoted her as saying.
However, Julia Morley, Chairman and CEO of Miss World Organisation, claimed that Milla Maggie requested to leave the competition due to a reported family emergency involving her mother's health.
"We responded to Milla's situation with compassion and immediately arranged her return to England, placing the well-being of the contestant and her family first. Unfortunately, it has come to our attention that certain UK media outlets have published false and defamatory statements, allegedly made by Milla Maggie, regarding her experience in India. These claims are completely unfounded and inconsistent with the reality of her time with us," she said.
(inputs from IANS)