Kumar Vishwas, the well-known poet and former Aam Aadmi Party leader, has stirred up a fresh controversy with his comments at a poetry event in Meerut, which many believe were aimed at actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha and his daughter, actress Sonakshi Sinha.
While addressing the audience, Vishwas made a pointed remark without directly naming anyone. He said, “Apne bachhon ko Sita Ji ki behnon aur Bhagwan Ram ke bhaiyon ke naam yaad karaiye. Ek sanket de raha hoon, jo samajh jayein unki taliyan uthtein. Apne bachhon ko Ramayan padhwayi aur Geeta sunwayi. Anya tha aisa na ho ki aapke ghar ka naam to ‘Ramayan’ ho aur aapke ghar ki Shree Lakshmi ko koi aur uthakar le jaye.”
This cryptic statement was widely interpreted as a veiled jab at Shatrughan Sinha, whose house is named “Ramayana,” and his daughter, Sonakshi, who recently married Zaheer Iqbal in June this year.
Vishwas’ words, especially the phrase “Shree Lakshmi ko koi aur uthakar le jaye,” which translates to “someone else will take your Lakshmi from your house,” were seen by many as a disparaging comment about Sonakshi’s interfaith marriage to Iqbal.
The reference to “Lakshmi” is a traditional metaphor for a woman, which further fueled the controversy, with critics accusing Vishwas of objectifying women.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate was quick to condemn Vishwas’ remarks, calling them “cheap” and “lewd.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), she expressed her outrage, asking, “If you have a daughter at home, would you make cheap comments about someone else’s daughter to earn applause?”
कुमार विश्वास जी,
आपमें रामकथा वाचक बनने की बड़ी लालसा है, काश थोड़ी सी प्रभुराम की मर्यादा, उनकी शालीनता भी आपमें होती
एक लड़की के ऊपर आप फूहड़ टिप्पणी करके सस्ती तालियाँ तो बटोर सकते हैं – पर सम्मान नहीं
एक लड़की के पिता हैं आप – थोड़ी सी भी शर्म हो तो माफ़ी माँगिये pic.twitter.com/OoXhoMN3yO
— Supriya Shrinate (@SupriyaShrinate) December 23, 2024
She went on to criticize Vishwas for perpetuating outdated views on women, stating, “Your words ‘Otherwise someone else will take your Lakshmi from your house’—is a girl just an object that can be taken away?”
Also Read: Sonakshi Sinha slams Mukesh Khanna for blaming her father over Ramayana blunder
Shrinate also questioned Vishwas’ views on marriage, emphasizing that in modern India, a woman has the right to choose her partner, and no one should dictate whom she marries.
She reminded him of a recent incident where his own staff allegedly mistreated a doctor, suggesting that Kumar Vishwas should focus on improving his own conduct before commenting on others.
This is not the first time Sonakshi Sinha has faced public criticism. Earlier, veteran actor Mukesh Khanna had taken aim at her for not answering a question about the Ramayana during an appearance on a television show.
Sonakshi, known for her roles in films like ‘Lootera’, responded to Khanna’s remarks on Instagram, reminding him of the importance of forgiveness, a central theme in the Ramayana.
She also pointed out that there were other women on the show who had failed to answer the question, yet only her name was singled out.