Telugu Desam Party MLA from Guntur West, Galla Madhavi, has strongly condemned what she described as a coordinated social media campaign by the YSR Congress Party targeting her after she offered her hair at the Tirumala temple as an act of religious devotion.
Expressing anguish over the online posts, Madhavi said she was deeply hurt that a personal act of faith had been turned into a political issue.
She alleged that YSRCP’s social media platforms had circulated derogatory and insulting comments against her.
The legislator said insulting women had become a political strategy for YSRCP leaders and argued that the public had already rejected such political culture.
According to her, targeting a woman’s faith, appearance and personal beliefs reflected the party’s moral decline.
She also appealed to women leaders within the YSRCP to reconsider their stand if they continued to defend such comments.
Madhavi said political criticism should be confined to government policies, public issues and administrative performance rather than personal attacks on women.
She alleged that YSRCP leaders were resorting to character assassination by targeting women’s personal lives, attire, appearance and religious beliefs instead of engaging in issue-based politics.
Calling such behaviour dangerous, she said it reflected a complete lack of respect for women in public life.
She alleged that YSRCP leaders were attempting to divert attention by introducing caste-related arguments instead of addressing the substance of the controversy.
Madhavi said the nature of the social media posts exposed the mindset of those responsible. She questioned whether political leaders who justify offensive remarks against women truly respected women.
The MLA had offered her hair to Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala last week as a mark of devotion. She alleged that the subsequent social media trolling by YSRCP supporters was an attempt to politicise a deeply personal religious act.
