National Commission for Women issues notice to Rahul Gandhi over his ‘misogynistic’ statements against Nirmala Sitharaman

Rahul Gandhi speaking at the 'Mahila Adhikar Sammelan' in New Delhi in August 2018

The National Commission for Women has issued a notice to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for his “misogynistic and unethical” remarks against Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

According to the reports, after the defence minister demolished the lies of Congress President Rahul Gandhi about the Rafale deal on the floor of Parliament, he had made misogynistic statements claiming “Prime Minister had run away and asked a ‘Mahila’ (Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman) to defend him” with reference to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s point-to-point rebuttal in Parliament.

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“The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away and told a woman, Sitharaman ji, defend me. I won’t be able to defend myself, defend me. For two and a half hours, the woman could not defend him. I had asked a straight question – answer yes or no – but she couldn’t answer,” Rahul Gandhi had said while addressing a rally at Jaipur.

The National Commission for Women in its notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi says, “The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognizance of the media report which appeared in various print and electronic media dated 9th Jan, 2019, wherein it is reported that you have allegedly made remarks against a women minister…the remarks made are extremely misogynistic, offensive, unethical and shows an extreme disrespects towards the dignity and honour of women in general.”

The NCW also objecting to Rahul Gandhi’s comments where he had asked PM Modi ‘to be a man and answer his question’. Condemning the statements of Rahul Gandhi, the NCW has asked him to provide an explanation to Commission soon.

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said that the commission has asked an explanation from Rahul Gandhi for what he said. Terming his statements as pathetic, sexist and misogynistic, she said Rahul Gandhi has to explain what does he mean when he is trying to talk low of women.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also slammed the Congress president for his comments on the defence minister, saying that it is an insult for all women in India, not just a woman minister. Addressing a rally in Agra, he said that when a woman defence minister thrashed the oppositions’ allegations with facts, they got rattled and now they are insulting a woman.

OpIndia Staff: Staff reporter at OpIndia