BENGALURU: With former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy triggering a controversy by stating that women in villages have lost their way because of the five guarantees doled out by the Congress government, the Grand Old Party grabbed the opportunity to turn the tables against the BJP-JDS alliance as being ‘anti-women’.
The Congress, which has been alleging that the BJP-JDS alliance partners are against the guarantees, is now set to project them as insulting women beneficiaries. “Narendra Modi Ji, you are on a state tour. What do you have to say about Kumaraswamy’s derogatory remarks about women? Defending his statement? If not, will you break the JD(S) alliance with BJP?” questioned AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala.
“My mothers and sisters of the state have been insulted by Kumaraswamy. I do not demand that Kumaraswamy should apologise. Instead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Smriti Irani should clarify,” DCM and KPCC president D K Shivakumar said at a press meet in Kodagu. He also held a virtual meeting with the party’s leaders who decided to hold protests against Kumaraswamy across the state on Monday.
The controversy broke out when Kumaraswamy, while campaigning for NDA candidate V Somanna at a roadshow at Turuvekere in Tumakuru LS constituency on Saturday, stated that women in villages had lost their way a bit (‘daari tappiddare’ in Kannada).
On Sunday, women members of the Congress staged a protest in Mandya, from where Kumaraswamy is the NDA candidate, and shouted “Go back!” slogans against him.
“What does it mean that mothers have gone astray? There are many women in your family too. By using this word, you have joined BJP as a ‘manuvadi’,” former MP VS Ugrappa, said, and urged Kumaraswamy to apologise immediately.
Revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda alleged that Kumaraswamy, who had himself claimed to have gone astray, had insulted women to whom the government had given financial support, considering them to be pillars of families. “We are giving guarantees to poor garment workers, street vendors, domestic helpers and daily wage workers. We are not giving them to women who go to clubs (for recreation),” he said.
Mothers misled by guarantees: JDS
The JDS alleged that the Congress party has twisted Kumaraswamy’s statement.
“Kumaraswamy said that mothers are being misled by the guarantees. Instead of providing free healthcare and free education, they (Congress) are taking political mileage cheaply. Congress is masking the truth with lies to cover up its sins. In fact, what is going astray is the economy of the state, the pride of Karnataka, the prestige of Karnataka,” it posted on ‘X’.
Suo motu cases against HDK, Patil
The Karnataka Women’s Commission will register a suo motu case against HD Kumaraswamy and issue a notice, said Commission chairperson Dr Nagalaksmi Choudhary. She said Kumaraswamy’s remarks are derogatory to the dignity of women. A case will also be registered against former BJP MLA Sanjay Patil for making derogatory remarks on Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar. He had said that seeing the overwhelming response to the BJP in Belagavi, Laxmi would need an extra peg (of liquor) to sleep.