A complaint was filed in a court here Wednesday againstunion Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal for his alleged sexist comment on women.
The plea, filed by Anita Dua, a member of a women'sorganisation, would come up Thursday in a chief metropolitan magistrate's courtfor recording of statements.
Dua accused the minister of immoral behaviour, insultingwomen and defamation. The offences carry a maximum punishment of two years.
Jaiswal has apologised for his comment made during a poetrymeet at K.K. Girls College in Kanpur Sunday night that "once a wife getsold, she loses her charm". He had likened "the joy of a new victoryto a new marriage" and said "as the years go by, the celebrationslike in a marriage become old".
Cornered by reporters, Jaiswal later said that during thepoetry meet he was reacting after India's big World T20 victory over Pakistan.
Appearing for Dua, lawyer A.S. Jaiswal said the comments bythe minister had hurt the feelings of women.
National Commission of Women chairperson Mamta Sharma said:"What the coal minister said is very wrong. You cannot compare a woman toa victory. In a marriage as years go by, relations become stronger. He usedwrong language for women and he should apologise," Sharma told IANS.
"We shall be writing to the prime minister and Congresspresident Sonia Gandhi on the issue," Sharma said. However, she said thewomen's panel would not be issuing a notice to the minister.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said that "sincethe coal minister has already explained and apologised, the matter should restthere".
The minister has been in the eye of a storm over the coalblocks allocation which the government auditor has faulted for allegedlycausing massive loss to the exchequer.