New Delhi/IBNS: Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra Thursday attacked Union Minister Smriti Irani for speaking at length about some flying kiss but not uttering a word when a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP was accused of sexual harassment by wrestlers.
The statement was in reference to Irani raising the issue of Rahul Gandhis alleged flying kiss in Parliament after his speech during the no-confidence debate on Wednesday.
Irani had expressed outrage and said that the House had never witnessed such an indecent act.
Only a misogynist man can blow a flying kiss to Parliament that seats women MPs. The action lacked dignity, the minister had charged.
Never before has the misogynistic behaviour of a man been so visible in parliament. When the House of the people – where laws are made to protect the dignity of women – during the course of a session stands witness to a mans misogyny, my question is should he be brought to task? she had questioned.
Women BJP MPs had also demanded action and complained to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla that Gandhi had insulted women with his indecent gesture.
In response to the same, without naming BJP MP and outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, Moitra told reporters: When a BJP MP was accused of harassment and molestation by our champion wrestlers, we did not hear one word out of the Women and Child Development minister and now she is talking about some flying kiss. Where are your priorities, madam?
The Congress defended that Gandhi was gesturing towards MPs of the ruling BJP who were shouting slogans.
Rahul Gandhi gestured towards the treasury benches as he was leaving with a flying kiss as he had called them brothers and sisters. He did not direct it towards any particular minister or MP, and not at all towards Smriti Irani, a Congress leader had said.
