Meerut (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 23: Poet Kumar Vishwas has sparked controversy with remarks many have interpreted as a veiled jibe aimed at actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha and his daughter, actress Sonakshi Sinha. Speaking at a poetry event in Meerut, Vishwas 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.”
For context, Shatrughan Sinha’s residence is named “Ramayana,” and his daughter Sonakshi recently married Zaheer Iqbal on June 23.
Congress leader Supriya Shrinate strongly condemned Vishwas’ remarks, labeling them “cheap” and “lewd.” In a detailed post on X (formerly Twitter), Shrinate criticized Vishwas for making derogatory comments about women to gain applause. “If you have a daughter, would you make such remarks about someone else’s daughter? Just think about how low you’ve stooped,” she wrote in Hindi.
Shrinate also took issue with Vishwas’ comments on Sonakshi’s interfaith marriage, adding, “Your words, ‘Otherwise someone else will take your Lakshmi from your house’—are you suggesting that a girl is just an object to be taken away? How long will people like you view women as property of their father and then their husband?” She further argued that the foundation of marriage lies in equality, trust, and love, questioning whether self-proclaimed guardians of religion should dictate whom a woman can marry.
This incident is not the first time Sonakshi has faced criticism. Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna previously criticized her for not answering a question on the Ramayana during a show, a comment Sonakshi addressed by reminding Khanna about the value of forgiveness as taught in the ‘Ramayana.’
Sonakshi married Zaheer Iqbal in an intimate ceremony on June 23, followed by a celebration at a popular Mumbai restaurant. The couple had been dating for seven years before tying the knot.