"Appalling, anti-woman": Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw slams Konda Surekha's remarks on Naga Chaitanya-Samantha divorce

New Delhi [India], October 4 : Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has condemned Telangana Minister Konda Surekha's remarks regarding the divorce of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, calling them "appalling" and a reflection of the "anti-woman mindset" of the Congress.
In a post on X on Thursday, Vaishnaw stated, "The statements by a minister in the Telangana government, slandering the character of leading film personalities, are appalling and signify the anti-woman mindset of the Congress. It also shows how this party views the entertainment industry, which is a source of pride for India."
He added, "There is no place for such discourse in our society. The silence of Mr. Rahul Gandhi and the top Congress leadership suggests they endorse these remarks."
Konda Surekha had accused former Minister and BRS leader KT Rama Rao (KTR) of involvement in the divorce of Samantha and Naga Chaitanya, alleging that KTR tapped the phones of actors and blackmailed them.
On Wednesday, Konda Surekha told reporters, "It is because of KT Rama Rao that Samantha's divorce happened. He was a minister at the time and would tap the phones of actresses, exploit their weaknesses, and blackmail them. He made them drug addicts, and everyone, including Samantha, Naga Chaitanya, and his family, knows about it."
Her comments have ignited significant controversy, with several BRS leaders and Naga Chaitanya's father, superstar Nagarjuna Akkineni, condemning the remarks.
Earlier, Nagarjuna Akkineni filed a defamation case against the Telangana minister under Section 356 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in the Hyderabad district court.
Actor Mahesh Babu also condemned Surekha's comments, writing on X, "As a father, husband, and son, I am deeply anguished by the unacceptable remarks made by a woman minister against another woman. Freedom of speech should not hurt others' sentiments. I strongly condemn the baseless comments and urge people in public roles to stop making the film industry a soft target. Women in our country and the film industry must be treated with respect and dignity."
Vijay Deverakonda also voiced his disapproval, stating, "Struggling to express my thoughts and feelings in decent language about today's politics and politicians. We vote for them to improve infrastructure, investment, jobs, health, and education, not for this kind of behaviour. Politics cannot get any lower. Enough."
Following the backlash, Konda Surekha clarified that her remarks were intended to criticise KT Rama Rao for "belittling women" and not to hurt Samantha Prabhu. She offered an "unconditional" retraction if her comments had offended Samantha or her fans.