Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti called out to Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his "misogynistic and sexist comments" against Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

"As a woman, feel deeply disappointed when misogynistic comments are normalised in our political discourse. Be a man/ man up/ stop behaving like a woman - such phrases reek of blatant sexism. Ironical since Indira ji was referred to "as the only man in the cabinet," she tweeted.

Echoing similar sentiments, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Poonam Mahajan said the Congress chief's comments are a representation of his mindset.

"Rahul Gandhi is a person who once used to do politics standing behind his mother Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi has always done politics using the name of his grandmother Indira Gandhi and now he is saying such things for women," she added.

The Congress president has been facing flak for ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the latter could not "even come to Parliament for a minute to respond to questions posed on the Rafale deal and asked a lady (Nirmala Sitharaman) to save him (Ek Mahila Say Kaha Meri Raksha Kijiye)."

The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday issued a notice to Rahul for his sexist remarks against Sitharaman.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)