New Delhi: Union Minister Smriti Irani called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a ‘misogynistic man’ after he apparently blew a kiss at members as he left Parliament Wednesday.
Irani took offence to Gandhi’s gesture and said: “It is only a misogynistic man who can give a flying kiss to the Parliament, which seats female members”.
She said the House had never seen such “disgraceful” behaviour, alleging “the country had now come to know about his family’s values”.
Irani made this observation as she debated the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition over Manipur.
Later in the day, women MPs of the ruling alliance wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, complaining that Gandhi had behaved in an indecent manner and made an inappropriate gesture towards Smriti Irani. “We demand stringent action against such behaviour by the Member which has not only insulted the dignity of women members in the House, it has also brought disrepute and lowered the dignity of this august house,” the letter read.
Rahul Gandhi opened the discussion on its second day Wednesday, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of “murdering Bharat Mata in Manipur”, and called them traitors and not patriots.
Chiding the Prime Minister for not visiting Manipur even once since horrific ethnic clashes broke out on 3 May, Gandhi said: “Bharat ek awaaz hai, Bharat hamari janta ki awaaz hai, dil ki awaaz hai. Uss awaaz ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki. Iska matlab Bharat Mata ki hatya aapne Manipur mein ki… You killed India by killing the people of Manipur.”
The Wayanad MP left Parliament soon after his speech as he was scheduled to meet party colleagues in Rajasthan later in the day.
Gandhi’s reference to “Bharat Mata” created an uproar and brought ruling MPs to their feet. Speaking immediately after, BJP MP Smriti Irani said this was perhaps the first time in the history of the nation that someone spoke about the murder of “Bharat Mata” in the House and was cheered on by his compatriots.
She condemned Gandhi’s “aggressive behaviour”, retorting: “You are not India, for India is not corrupt. India believes in merit not in dynasty, and today of all days, people like you need to remember what was told to the British — ‘Quit India. Corruption Quit India, Dynasty Quit India’. Merit now finds its place in India.”
Irani also said the government had repeatedly offered a debate but “the Opposition ran away from it”.
“Manipur is not divided,” she said, adding, “It is an integral part of India.”
The three-day no-confidence discussion began Tuesday with a fierce debate over Manipur where ongoing ethnic clashes have claimed over 150 lives and driven thousands to relief camps.
The no-confidence motion, brought against the government to force a discussion on Manipur, will not affect the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which enjoys a strong majority in the Lok Sabha.
The Opposition has said the motion was “the last resort” as it would at least compel the House to thoroughly discuss a burning issue in the country – in this case Manipur – and force a reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Also read: Rahul hits out at Modi & BJP in no-confidence debate — ‘You have murdered Bharat mata in Manipur’