Sultanpur/Lucknow, Aug 10 (PTI) Samajwadi Party MP from Sultanpur Ram Bhual Nishad on Saturday referred to former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi as “frustrated”, with the BJP hitting back at him for the disparaging remark.
When asked by reporters about the petition filed against him by Maneka Gandhi in the high court challenging his election as MP, Nishad responded by comparing her to a “hissing cat scratching a post” (a Hindi idiom implying frustration).
Nishad said, “the people have defeated her (in the election), she should accept it.” He said that if Gandhi had any objections, she should have raised them during the scrutiny of nomination papers.
“The petition she has filed after the seven-day deadline holds no merit,” he said.
Nishad had defeated BJP candidate Maneka Gandhi in the recent Lok Sabha elections from the Sultanpur constituency.
The BJP was quick to respond to Nishad’s comments.
The party’s state spokesperson Harish Chandra Srivastava told PTI, “This kind of indecent comment towards a senior leader is condemnable. Instead of making inappropriate remarks, Ram Bhual Nishad should respect the judicial process.” He added, “Unparliamentary language has always been a hallmark of the SP, and this incident is proof of that. The people of Uttar Pradesh will give a fitting response to the SP.” The controversy arises against the backdrop of a petition filed by Maneka Gandhi challenging Nishad’s election to the Sultanpur parliamentary seat.
The petition, filed with the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court, alleges that Nishad concealed details of his criminal record in his nomination affidavit.
Gandhi’s counsel, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, argued via video conference that the delay in filing the petition should be excused and that the case should be heard on its merits.
The court has reserved its judgment on the maintainability of the petition. Gandhi claims that Nishad has 12 criminal cases pending against him, but he only disclosed eight in his affidavit. PTI COR AR KIS VN VN
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