LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh police have booked senior Congress leader and party’s provincial president Ajay Rai over his 'misogynistic' remark against Union Minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani.
Rai was booked on the basis of a complaint filed by BJP women's wing leader Pushpa Singh at the Robertsganj police station in Sonbhadra district on Tuesday.
The raging controversy comes after the Uttar Pradesh Congress leader, on Monday, took a jibe at Smriti Irani, saying she only comes to her constituency to show "latke-jhatke" (for pomp and show) and the real work was done when Amethi had an MP from Gandhi family.
The FIR against Rai was lodged under Sections 354(a) (making sexually coloured remarks), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of IPC.
However, Rai stood firm in his statement and refused to extend an apology saying that he did not use unparliamentary language against Irani.
“Why should I apologise? I did not use any unparliamentary language. ‘Latke-jhatke’ is our ‘bolchal ki bhasha’ (colloquial slang) which means that somebody suddenly appears and says something and then disappears,” said Rai while talking to media persons in Chandauli district, adding that he had no intention to insult anyone.
“Some people are unnecessarily trying to exert pressure on me. I did not intend to insult anyone with the word Latke-Jhatke. I have always respected women and will continue to do so,” said Rai while reiterating his claim that the party’s Waynad MP Rahul Gandhi would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Amethi.
“The people of Amethi got overawed by the latke-jhatke, so they elected someone other than Rahul in 2019, but now they have realised and want Rahul Gandhi back,” he claimed.
The Congress leader went a step further saying he himself was ready to challenge PM Narendra Modi in Varanasi in 2024. “PM Modi has not done any such work in Varanasi that the public will re-elect him in 2024. My vote percentage has increased significantly in the last election, so imagine what will happen in 2024,” he said.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women took cognisance of Rai's remarks and summoned him to appear at a hearing scheduled for December 28.
"The Commission has taken cognisance of the misogynistic remark made by Ajay Rai. The remarks are outrageous and extremely derogatory and the Commission strongly condemns such statements,” the NCW said in a statement.
Rai's controversial statement also evoked a sharp response from Smriti Irani who accused the Congress of misogyny and took potshots at Rahul and Sonia Gandhi on Twitter.
Irani tweeted, "Heard that Rahul Gandhi has got the announcement on his Amethi contest made via a party leader. I hope you will not run to contest another seat, and won't get scared. PS: You & Mummy ji need to get your misogynistic goons a new speechwriter."