The National Commission of Women (NCW) on Monday issued a notice to Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Sadhana Singh seeking an explanation for her derogatory remarks against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, news agency ANI reported. The Mughalsarai MLA had earlier claimed that Mayawati had “sold her dignity” for power, and was “worse than a kinnar (eunuch)”.
Taking suo motu cognizance of the matter, the women’s body described the BJP lawmaker’s remarks as “extremely offensive and unethical which shows disrespect towards dignity and respect of women” and sought a satisfactory explanation in this regard.
.@NCWIndia has taken Suo Motu cognisance of the objectionable statement made by BJP MLA Ms. Sadhana Singh. The Commission will be sending a notice to Ms. Singh regarding the statement in question. https://t.co/ee1zcPzHiD
— NCW (@NCWIndia) January 20, 2019
After drawing flak for her remarks, the BJP MLA on Sunday apologised and claimed she had only intended to “remind the BSP president of the Guest House incident”.
On Saturday, Singh, without referring to the guest house incident where the BSP chief and several other party leaders were attacked by Samajwadi Party (SP) workers, had said that a woman, who underwent a “chirharan” (disrobe) is now compromising with the perpetrators. Singh claimed, “she is worse than a eunuch”.
“I don’t think Uttar Pradesh’s former Chief Minister is a woman or a man. She doesn’t understand the concept of dignity. Draupadi was a victim of sexual misconduct. She vowed to get revenge. That was a self-respecting woman. Look at this woman. Everything was looted from her, despite which she sold all her dignity to get power,” the MLA from Mughalsarai was quoted as saying by the news agency. Union Minister Rajnath Singh’s son and BJP MLA from Noida, Pankaj Singh, was also present at the meeting.
The BJP leader also claimed that Mayawati was a “shame to the entire womankind”. “I take this opportunity to condemn Mayawati, who calls herself a woman. She is a shame to the entire womankind. BJP leaders saved her dignity, and she sold it for the sake of her comfort and power. Women from the entire country condemn her,” Sadhna said.
Condemning the MLA’s remarks, Union Minister and RPI leader Ramdas Athawale had said that such personal comments should not be made. BSP leader S C Misra took to Twitter to say: “BJP leaders have lost ‘their mental balance after the BSP-SP tie-up, which threatens to rock the ruling party’s boat.”
SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav also denounced the MLA for using derogatory remarks against Mayawati and tweeted, “The remark smacks of desperation and nervousness among BJP leaders and is an affront to all women.”
