BJP complains to EC on jr Kawade’s remarks on Irani

Nagpur: The Bharatiya Janata Party has lodged a complaint with Election Commission against Jaideep, son of People’s Republican Party (PRP) MLC Jogendra Kawade, for using highly objectionable remarks against party minister Smriti Irani on Monday. PRP is an ally of Congress and NCP.
Kawade has drawn lot of flak from all quarters. Congress candidate Nana Patole, for whom Kawade was campaigning, refused to comment on the issue when contacted by TOI.

A BJP leader said that the video of these remarks was being spread on WhatsApp to make women vote against Patole. “We want to tell women what kind of respect Congress has for them,” said a leader.

Kawade while addressing a public meeting in Bagadganj area in city on Monday had said that Irani “sits very close to Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari”. “She applies a big bindi on her forehead. This is because she changes her husbands frequently. It is easy to change husbands but it is very difficult to change the Indian Constitution,” he had said.

Patole and other Congress leaders were sitting on the dais. None of them tried to stop Kawade and some are seen laughing in the video that has gone viral. Later, Patole patted Kawade’s back and asked him to occupy the chair besides him according to eyewitnesses. State Congress chief Ashok Chavan was yet to reach the venue when these remarks were made.

BJP leaders Rahul Khangar, Yogesh Pachpor, Balya Borkar, Sunita Patil, Rohit Jamgade and Varun Gajbhiye have jointly submitted a complaint against Kawade, Patole, former MP Vilas Muttemwar and other Congress and NCP leaders present on the dais to district collector Ashwin Mudgal. The leaders have been charged with outraging the modesty of women.

“Kawade had said that the women who apply a big bindi frequently change husbands referring to Irani. This is an insult to all women. He and other Congress leaders have outraged the modesty of Irani. Kawade, Patole and all the present Congress leaders have violated the model code of conduct and hence an offence should be registered against them,” the complaint states.

The BJP leaders have appealed to Mudgal that henceforth honour of women and women leaders remains intact during campaigning.

Meanwhile, Mahila Asmita Suraksha Manch has issued a WhatsApp post condemning Jaideep Kawade, Congress and Patole. ‘Smriti Irani has reached the post of a Union minister through her talent and hard work. Using objectionable remarks against her shows what kind of thinking Congress has about women. These remarks reflect the intolerance and reprehensible values of Congress and its allies,” the post states.