Telugu Desam Party (TDP) State President and Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao on Monday strongly condemned the remarks made by YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader and former Minsiter Gudivada Amarnath on Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha. He termed them as deeply offensive, misogynistic, and unbecoming of democratic discourse.

Mr. Srinivasa demanded Mr. Amarnath withdraw his remarks and issue an unconditional apology to Ms. Anitha and to women across the State.

Addressing a press conference at the party office in Gajuwaka, Mr. Srinivasa said that political criticism is an accepted feature of democracy, but personal attacks targeting a woman’s appearance, attire, grooming, or personal choices represent a dangerous decline in political standards.

He said that every woman has the right to present herself as she chooses, and reducing political debate to comments on personal appearance exposes the `regressive and discriminatory political culture’ nurtured by sections of the opposition.

The TDP leader further shared that Ms. Anitha’s political journey from a grassroots worker to legislator and now Home Minister stands as a testament to her perseverance, public service, and democratic opportunity. “At a time when society is encouraging greater participation of women in public life, targeting a woman who has risen through determination and public trust sends the wrong message,” he said.

On the recent mishap at the Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, Mr. Srinivasa accused the YSRCP of attempting to derive political mileage from the human tragedy instead of standing with affected workers and their families.

He said: “During the previous YSRCP administration, the VSP workers had staged prolonged protests over the future of the plant,” and questioned how the YSRCP could attempt to portray itself as the plant’s protector.

He further added that it was the NDA government who secured a major revival package worth thousands of crores of rupees for the public-sector steel maker and the intervention had restored confidence in the plant’s future.

Dismissing the criticism about the Mega DSC teacher recruitment drive, Mr Srinivasa said that the recruitment process was conducted under stringent security and transparency protocols, enabling thousands of qualified candidates to secure employment opportunities.