The Congress on Monday demanded an unconditional apology from Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for making derogatory remarks against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and asserted that the comments showed “BJP’s disrespectful attitude towards women.”
The Delhi unit of the All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) protested outside the Delhi BJP office and burnt an effigy of the Haryana Chief Minister.
Haryana Congress chief and former Union Minister Kumari Selja said people would never forgive Mr. Khattar for the indecent language he used for Ms. Gandhi and the women in the State would teach the BJP a lesson when they vote on October 21.
On Sunday, Mr. Khattar made some very strong remarks against the Gandhi family while commenting on the turmoil within the Congress after Rahul Gandhi’s resignation from the presidentship of the party following the Lok Sabha rout.
“Pappu announced it and resigned…They started searching with a torch…looking for a non-Gandhi family…After three months, they made Sonia Gandhi the president…They dug up a mountain and what came out was a dead rat…Because they can see nothing beyond Sonia, Rahul and the Gandhi family,”Mr Khattar had said at a rally in Kaithal.
Hitting back at the Haryana Chief Minister, the Congress said the statement showed the “anti-women character” of the BJP.
“His remarks against the Congress president are deplorable and unparliamentary..., it is a clear reflection of his and the BJP’s disrespectful attitude towards women. Lowering the discourse is an attempt to divert attention from the real issues... that are being evaded like joblessness and acute economic slowdown,” said former Lok Sabha member Sushmita Dev, who also heads the Mahila Congress.
"Can anyone deny that Haryana has become the rape capital of India? Kidnapping and abduction are also on the rise. CM Haryana has no answers to the real issues that are adversely impacting the people of Haryana specially the women,"she said and added Haryana has the fourth highest crime rate in the country.
Ms Dev claimed that there is a ‘shocking shortfall in police manpower’ and at 27 per cent, the shortfall almost 4 times higher than the deficit in Punjab.
"We in the Congress are committed to upholding the dignity in public life but as a woman I take offence to the disgraceful remark made and demand an unconditional apology,"she added.
Congress leader Asha Kumari called Mr. Khattar a serial offender in a tweet.
“A serial offender, CM ML Khattar has no qualms about putting women respect on line to satiate political ambitions! My heart goes out to women in Haryana who had to put up with this regressive leadership for 5 years, which will find its befitting end on 21st,"she said.
