BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani has hit out at Congress leader and former MP CM Kamal Nath for his remark on a female BJP leader. The National Commission for Women will also send a notice to the Congress leader.
Women and Chil Development Minister Smriti Irani has hit out at former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath. (Photo: PTI)
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani has hit out at Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for their silence on former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath’s objectionable statement for a female BJP leader.
What happened
A video of senior Congress leader Kamal Nath using the word “item” reportedly for a former woman colleague who switched over to the BJP created a furore. This comes amid campaigning for bypolls scheduled for November 3 in 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly seats.
Addressing a poll meeting in Dabra, where the Congress is up against Imarti Devi of the BJP, Nath said his party candidate was a “simple person” unlike his opponent who is an “item”.
News agency Tweeted a video of the Congress leader’s statement which was shared by many leaders of the BJP..
#WATCH: Our candidate is not like her… what’s her name? (people shout Imarti Devi, who is former State Minister) You know her better and should have warned me earlier… ye kya item hai: Former Madhya Pradesh CM & Congress leader Kamal Nath pic.twitter.com/eW76f2z8gU
— ANI (@ANI) October 18, 2020
Kamal Nath following footsteps of Digvijay Singh
Speaking to India Today TV, Irani said that Kamal Nath is following the footsteps of Digvijay Singh by calling a female politician an ‘item’. She hit out at Rahul Gandhi and Sonai Gandhi as well for staying mum on the issue.
“Still, Congress leadership is silent. This is shameful. This tells us the values that Congress has. The whole country is shocked at the derogatory words used by Congress leaders. Earlier too, Digvijay Singh had called their own party’s female politician a ‘tonch mall’ and even then, Congress president stayed mum,” she said.
“To condemn this remark, the Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan is on a silent protest,” she added.
NCW takes cognizance
National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma said on Monday that the panel will send a notice to Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath for his “item” jibe against state minister Imarti Devi.
Sharma said that she will also write to the Election Commission over the matter.
In a tweet on Sunday, the NCW chief said, “Sending Kamal Nath a notice and will be writing to @ECISVEEP.”
Sending #KamalNath a notice and will be writing to @ECISVEEP. https://t.co/WQWsQpfPFj
— Rekha Sharma (@sharmarekha) October 19, 2020