Lucknow, Mar 25 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday remained unapologetic over his alleged sexist” remarks on the Women”s Reservation Bill as he once again took on women head on.
“Take a look at the wives and sisters of those who are criticising me, and you will realise why they are criticising me. I have no intention of insulting women,” said Mulayam Singh Yadav, adding that he has nothing to regret.
“The Samajwadi Party has more respect for women than other parties. The party”s workers have fought against the ill treatment of women,” he claimed.
Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday said that Parliament would be full of the sort of women who attract catcalls and whistles if the Women”s Reservation Bill was passed, sparking censure from across the political spectrum.
“What can I say about the kind of women who will enter Parliament. The wives and daughters of officers and businessmen, who invite whistles from boys,” said Yadav.
The Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Communist Party of India-Marxist slammed the Samajwadi Party chief for his remarks.
“If you can”t respect women, don”t insult them,” Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said.
While senior CPM leader Brinda Karat demanded an apology, BJP said the comment was in bad taste.
“I am astonished that a leader of the stature of Mulayam Singh Yadav could speak about women of India in this day and age. A woman is a woman, whatever her background,” said BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman.
Uttar Pradesh”s ruling BSP also called the comments irresponsible.
“Mulayam Singh Yadav”s comment shows his decadent mindset,” said state president Swami Prasad Maurya. (ANI)
Twitter Gate: Congress will take action against Tharoor at the appropriate time: Tewari
New Delhi, Sep.18 (ANI): The Congress party on Friday said it would take appropriate action against Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor for his “cattle class” comments through the medium of Twitter at the appropriate time.
Addressing a party news conference in the capital, Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said: “We will take appropriate action (against Mr. Tharoor) at the appropriate time.
Tewari further said that action against Tharoor was not ruled out.
He also justified Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s statement on Thursday seeking Tharoor’s resignation for what he called “irresponsible” comments on the social networking site Twitter.
“It was unfortunate and unbecoming on his part to make such comments. In my view he should tender his resignation as Minister,” Gehlot had said.
“To make such irreverent comments is all the more despicable when one is holding a responsible position as that of the Minister of State for External Affairs,” Gehlot told journalists at his official residence here after a “Roza Iftar” party on Thursday evening.
Gehlot had termed Tharoor’s references posted on the site such as “cattle class” and “holy cows” as unacceptable in Indian politics.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan also said Tharoor had no right to continue in the Union Cabinet.
“I believe that in a democracy, people are God. To refer to them as ‘cattle’ is an insult to them. And I believe that such a person has no right to be a Union minister,” he told reporters.
Tharoor, who is on an official visit to Liberia, had earlier apologized through the Twitter medium, saying he was “sorry” for hurting any sentiments and that his words had been misunderstood.
“To those hurt by the belief that my repeating the phrase showed contempt: sorry. It’s a silly expression, but means no disrespect to economy travellers, only to airlines for herding us in like cattle. Many have misunderstood,” Tharoor said.
The minister said that he had learned belatedly of the fuss “over my tweet and pointed out that the phrase “cattle class” was used in the query, which he just repeated. (ANI)