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A political row has flared up in Andhra Pradesh over alleged misogynistic remarks made by political commentator VVR Krishnamraju on Sakshi TV, the opposition YSR Congress Party’s mouthpiece. Krishnamraju referred to the state capital Amaravati as the ‘capital of sex workers’ in a new show KSR Live, hosted by senior journalist Kommineni Srinivasa Rao, on June 6.
Krishnamraju said on the show that Amaravati is not a ‘capital of gods’ as it is often called owing to the name’s connotations based on mythology, but a ‘capital of sex workers’.
“[Chief Minister] Chandrababu Naidu and [Deputy Chief Minister] Pawan Kalyan keep calling Amaravati a ‘capital of gods’. But there are allegations today that it has turned into an abode of sex workers,” he said, adding that Amaravati had turned into a ‘capital of sex workers’.
In a clarification issued after facing backlash, he said that he was referring to the findings of a recently released study of programmatic mapping and population size estimation (PMPSE) conducted by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), which found that Andhra Pradesh had the second highest concentration of female sex workers in India.
“I have seen that the issue is prevalent in the areas surrounding Amaravati. There are many NGOs in the region working for the welfare of sex workers and their children. I was calling on the government to address this issue,” Krishnamraju said.
The remarks, however, have led to a huge political row, with the TDP and its coalition partners, Jana Sena Party and the BJP, calling it a big insult to women. Sakshi TV and YSRCP have distanced themselves from Krishnamraju’s comments, saying they were made in an independent capacity and that the channel and party do not agree with him.
Deputy CM and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan said that Krishna Raju’s remarks were an insult not just to women but also Buddhism that flourished in the Amaravati region. “The state government will take strict action against those who conspire against the state capital. The police will take legal action against those who make vile comments,” Pawan Kalyan said.
He insisted that Sakshi TV cannot get away by distancing itself from the comments after platforming them.
“There is an organised conspiracy behind the outrageous comments made by a person in the guise of an analyst and journalist on a certain channel about Amaravati. The public and the authorities should analyse this matter in depth. Do not see those words as comments made by an individual. There is a cunning attempt behind the discussion to insult and ridicule the capital region, the women living there, the historical background of this region, and the Buddhism that flourished there,” Pawan Kalyan said.
TDP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu has complained to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the National Commission for Women (NCW), and the Press Council of India (PCI) about the remarks.
He said Krishnamraju’s remarks were “defamatory” and “deeply humiliating to the women and culture of Andhra Pradesh.” The MP urged the Press Council of India to direct Sakshi TV to issue a public apology, and impose disciplinary action.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha also condemned the remarks, and said that they could not have been made without the knowledge of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and his wife YS Bharathi Reddy, who heads the Sakshi Media Group.
Sakshi TV issued a statement saying it was not right to attribute Krishnamraju’s remarks to the channel, and that it respects women.
YSRCP also said that Krishnamraju and his remarks have no association with the party.