New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday attacked the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of adopting “double standards” over his recent “smash the patriarchy” remark and claimed that the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Pune was organised to “cover-up the misogynistic remarks” made by Congress leaders against Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni.
Addressing a press conference, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said: “22nd August, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi attempted to construct a new false narrative in this country. He says, ‘smash the patriarchy’, and I am all for it. But I want to ask Rahul Gandhi: Do you limit your slogan only to the stage in Pune, and do you continue to shelter political patriarchy within your own Congress party?”
Accusing LoP Gandhi of not having a vision and neither a positive agenda, she remarked: “He is just attempting to mislead the voters through whatever his research team gives him in writing.”
Referring to Rahul Gandhi and Sandeep Dikshit’s alleged mockery during the Rachnatmak Congress National Convention and the mention of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, the BJP leader said: “The Congress should first check its own report card. The sitting Prime Minister of one of our ally countries was mocked.”
“It was almost like overhearing boys in a locker room. He was actually resorting to cheap innuendo and sensationalism for nothing but traction on social media,” she alleged, while adding that such a behaviour doesn’t suit the country’s LoP.
Calling out the “hypocrisy” of the LoP and the Congress, Swaraj cited examples of the party leaders using alleged indecent remarks against women.
She said: “When Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut received her election ticket, indecent and derogatory remarks were made against her from the social media account of a woman leader belonging to the Congress party itself, Supriya Shrinate. Her (Ranaut’s)’rate’ was asked. Yet, Rahul Gandhi ji maintained complete silence. In fact, I personally went and lodged an official complaint against that indecency. ”
“Then in April 2024, Randeep Surjewala had made an indecent remark against Mathura MP Hema Malini, following which he was even banned from campaigning for 48 hours. Still, Rahul Gandhi didn’t make any ‘smashing the patriarchy’ comment on the issue,” she added.
Referring to Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s alleged address of President Droupadi Murmu as ‘Rashtrapatni’ in 2022 and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath purportedly referring to a BJP leader as ‘item’ in 2020, Swaraj asked Rahul Gandhi, “Why were you not smashing patriarchy then?”
Further, she referred to former Karnataka Congress MLA K.R. Ramesh Kumar’s remark on ‘rape’ in the floor of the Assembly in 2021, saying: “All Congress MLAs, including the Speaker, were laughing on this. Why was Rahul Gandhi silent on this too?”
She questioned whether ‘smashing the patriarchy’ is mere “rhetoric” for the LoP?
Addressing Gandhi, she asked: “Why is there not a single woman Minister in the Cabinet of Karnataka or Himachal Pradesh where the Congress is in power?”
Claiming that women empowerment has been reduced to an election slogan for the Congress, the BJP MP said that if the party really wanted to address the issue, “then they would not have strongly opposed the Nari Shakti Vandhan Adiniyam”.
Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Manusmriti’ remarks at the Pune event, Swaraj called it “selective outrage”.
Highlighting that the Constitution grants equal status to all religions, she retorted: “Why are you targeting only one particular community?…Why did the Congress oppose the Triple Talaq legislation which was meant for the benefit of Muslim women?”
Swaraj claimed that Rahul Gandhi’s ‘smash the patriarchy’ remark in Pune was made to “cover up the misogynistic and indecent remark against the Italian Prime Minister during the August 13 Congress event”.
Moreover, she challenged LoP Gandhi to sing the full version of the national song Vande Mataram in view of his stand for women, while accusing the Congress of “surrendering to Jihadi mindset”.
“This nation deserves a better Leader of Opposition,” she remarked.
