New Delhi, August 26: BJP Lok Sabha MP Basanti Swaraj addressed a press conference at the party’s central office in New Delhi on Wednesday. She linked Rahul Gandhi‘s statement on “ending patriarchy” made on August 22 in Pune to the Congress party’s double standards.
Swaraj emphasized that the derogatory comments made by Congress leaders towards women and Gandhi’s silence on women’s empowerment reveal their hypocrisy. She pointed out the absence of women ministers in the Congress governments of Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, as well as their opposition to the Nari Shakti Vandan Act and the Triple Talaq law. She highlighted the women’s empowerment initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, asserting that the country needs a better opposition leader.
Swaraj stated that on August 22, Rahul Gandhi attempted to create a false narrative in the country. He claims, “End patriarchy; I am completely in favor of it.” However, she questioned whether this call is limited to the Pune stage. Does he continue to protect political patriarchy within his own Congress party? She criticized Gandhi for lacking vision and a positive agenda, suggesting that his research team merely provides him with notes to confuse the youth and discerning voters of the nation. She urged a review of Gandhi’s track record and the Congress party’s report card, asserting that if patriarchy is to be ended, it must start within the Congress party itself.
Swaraj recounted that just ten days prior to his Pune statement, Gandhi participated in a distasteful joke about a female Prime Minister alongside Sandeep Dikshit, targeting Italy’s current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She described the comments as cheap and offensive, likening the situation to boys chatting in a closed room. This type of sensationalism is unbecoming of the opposition leader, she argued, suggesting that Gandhi now only makes statements for the sake of memes and social media popularity.
She provided examples of Congress’s hypocrisy, recalling when Kangana Ranaut received a ticket from their party, and a female leader from Congress made lewd comments against her on social media. Swaraj noted that Gandhi remained silent then, despite her filing a complaint against the harassment. She also mentioned that Congress leader Randeep Surjewala made inappropriate remarks against BJP’s Hema Malini during a rally, leading to action from the Election Commission, yet Gandhi did not speak out against it.
Swaraj highlighted that Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury made controversial comments against India’s first tribal woman president, but the Congress leadership again chose silence. She recalled former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath referring to a BJP female candidate as an “item,” questioning Gandhi’s absence during such incidents.
She reiterated that the Congress party’s failure to appoint women ministers in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh reflects their insincerity towards women’s empowerment, which has become merely an electoral slogan for them. If Gandhi truly wanted to empower women, he would not oppose the Nari Shakti Vandan Act, which aims to reserve 33% of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Instead, the Congress party ensured the bill was dropped.
Swaraj concluded by questioning Gandhi’s selective outrage, asking why he targets only one community in India. She emphasized that the Constitution teaches “Sarva Dharma Sambhav,” which Gandhi often references but seems unwilling to fully engage with.
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