LUCKNOW: While reacting to distasteful and controversial remarks of Congress leader Randeep Surjewala over her, actor and BJP's third-time candidate from Mathura Hema Malini, on Thursday, said they (Congress) should learn how to respect women from PM Narendra Modi.
After filing her nomination papers in Mathura, the BJP MP said that the Congress leaders targeted popular persons because targeting the unpopular ones won't do them any good.
Randeep Singh Surjewala's comment on Hema Malini came as the latest political flashpoint between the two national parties on Thursday. Reacting to it, BJP's IT cell chief Amit Malviya shared a purported video in which Surjewala was heard making sexist comments about Hema Malini.
"Who thinks of women as something to lick? That is the most disgusting description someone can come up with. Just the other day, Surjewala’s colleague was asking the ‘rate’ of another BJP woman leader, and now this…This is Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. It is misogynistic and abhors women," Malviya said.
However, responding to the BJP attack, Surjewala said he respected Hema Malini and even said in the video that she is "our daughter-in-law". Meanwhile, the BJP went on with a concerted attack on the opposition over Surjewala's comment on Hema Malini.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath said the opposition could not find any candidate against Hema Malini and hence they started using derogatory language against her. Launching a scathing attack on the Congress party, its erstwhile Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam of Kalki Dham claimed that in India, women are respected and worshipped and Randeep Surjewala had insulted the Indian civilization by giving such comments on Hema Malini. He attributed the falling standard of the party to the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.
“The real problem of the Congress party is Rahul Gandhi. The party has been witnessing a consistent downfall since he started making all the decisions of the party. With Rahul Gandhi as its leader, no one can save Congress and no one can remove Rahul Gandhi,” said Acharya Krishnam, who was recently expelled from the party in charge of anti-party activities.