Published 16:37 IST, January 10th 2019
Mehbooba Mufti calls out Rahul Gandhi for misogynistic comments, Omar Abdullah joins in
PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti took to Twitter to slam Rahul Gandhi over his sexist and misogynist remarks against Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman. JKNC leader Omar Abdullah also attacked the Congress president saying that such comments should have no place in normal discourse
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Mehbooba Mufti, leader of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party, has expressed discontent over the sexist and misogynist remarks made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi against Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman. Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Mehbooba Mufti stated that as a woman, she feels disappointed when 'misogynistic comments are normalised in political discourse in India'.
Referring to statements like 'Be a man', 'man up' and 'stop behaving like a woman', the former J&K CM said that such phrases 'reek of blatant sexism'.
Later, pointing out the irony that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was referred to as "the only man in the cabinet" during her tenure in the office, the PDP leader lashed out Rahul Gandhi for his comments against the Raksha Mantri
Read her tweet here:
READ: 'Apologise Now!': Outraged Netizens Blast Rahul Gandhi For Sexist Comments Against Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman
Promptly, former J&K chief minister and JKNC leader Omar Abdullah responded to Mehbooba Mufti's tweet joining in the controversy, and attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
As the senior PDP leader pointed out phrases like 'be a man' and 'stop behaving like a woman' that are reeking the blatant sexism, Omar Abdullah chose to add other phrases including "are you wearing bangles?" and "I'm not wearing bangles" to the list of comments that should have 'no place in normal discourse'.
Read Omar Abdullah's tweet here:
Rahul Gandhi has been facing the wrath for a sexist utterance made while he was speaking in Jaipur on Wednesday, where he chided the Prime Minister for asking 'a woman' to protect him. Addressing a rally in Jaipur, the Congress president had said:
"The Prime Minister with the 56-inch-chest didn't come even once to the people's court - the Parliament. We smashed the Raksha Mantri's speech. 56-inch-chest Prime Minister said to a woman, Sitharaman ji 'protect me', I will not be able to protect myself."
The National Commission for Women took cognisance of Rahul Gandhi's sexist remark and issued a notice to the Congress president saying that his remarks were "misogynistic, offensive and unethical and showed an extreme disrespect towards the dignity and honour of women in general". The notice further demanded Rahul Gandhi to provide a satisfactory explanation to the Commission.
Responding to Rahul Gandhi's statements, Union Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj called out the Congress president saying his comments mark a "new low" in Indian politics, with Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani putting out a tweet with the hashtag #MisogynistRahul.
15:42 IST, January 10th 2019