MUMBAI: After senior Congress leaders distanced themselves from and reprimanded the Maharashtra Congress over its "Gungi Gudiya" remark against Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal said Indira Gandhi had also been called "Gungi Gudiya", but transformed her image into that of "Durga" through her work and contributions, adding that Sunetra Pawar could do the same.
The Maharashtra Congress' social media handle on X posted a clip from Sunetra Pawar's press conference showing NCP MLA Dhananjay Munde preventing her from taking questions from reporters on the law and order situation in Beed district. The post carried the caption: "How long will Sunetra Pawar remain Gungi Gudiya (silent doll)?"
The "Gungi Gudiya" jibe at Sunetra Pawar drew criticism from the NCP as well as senior Congress leaders, including former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan.
Chavan publicly differed from the Maharashtra Congress, saying the party should have avoided the "Gungi Gudiya" remark out of respect for women. He said Sunetra Pawar holds a constitutional position as Deputy Chief Minister and that women in public life should be respected and encouraged to participate in politics.
Chavan added that while the controversy stemmed from Sunetra Pawar not speaking on the law and order situation in Beed, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, was responsible for law and order in the state.
Harshvardhan Sapkal also said that as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, people and journalists expect Sunetra Pawar to answer questions, but her own party MLA was preventing her from speaking. He asked who was more important—the Deputy Chief Minister or the party MLA stopping her from speaking.
NCP state president Sunil Tatkare said the Congress' remarks against Sunetra Pawar reflected the "intellectual bankruptcy" of the Maharashtra Congress, alleging that the party had stooped to making derogatory remarks against her. Tatkare also reprimanded NCP MLA Dhananjay Munde, saying party MLAs should not prevent leaders from speaking or stop a leader and guardian minister in a manner that sends the wrong message.