UP election: Smriti Irani slams Congress, SP over women’s safety issue

Criticising the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, BJP leader and Union textiles minister Smriti Irani on Saturday referred to the front page story published in Hindustan Times in its February 3 edition titled ‘Girls’ mobile numbers up for sale in UP’.

Criticising the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, BJP leader and Union textiles minister Smriti Irani on Saturday referred to the front page story published in Hindustan Times in its February 3 edition titled ‘Girls’ mobile numbers up for sale in UP’.

Textiles minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani addresses a press conference at the party office in Lucknow.(PTI Photo)

The story was about mobile numbers of girls being sold from recharge outlets across the states for prices based on their looks and being used by men to harass them over the phone.

Referring to the story, Irani said, “Such is the state of affairs in UP. Instead of putting such persons behind bars, cops are saying that if action against such persons is taken, then prisons all across the state will be flooded.”

The minister accused the Samajwadi Party government of differentiating between Hindu and Muslim women when it comes to expressing views on issues such as triple talaq.

Irani, who was in Lucknow on Saturday, challenged chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, SP MP Dimple Yadav, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi to clear their stand on the contentious issue.

When asked to comment on senior BJP leader Vinay Katiyar’s recent statement that BJP had ‘prettier campaigners’ than Priyanka, Irani said, “Brother-in-law of Rahul Gandhi (Robert Vadra) had made a very filthy remark against me which could not even be read out in the press conference. Did Priyanka Gandhi apologise for it?”

She also said that joint campaigns by Dimple and Priyanka would have no impact among voters in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

“The Samajwadi Party government has failed to check incidents of crime against women. During the SP government’s tenure, there has been 60% increase in cases of crime against women,” Irani told newsmen at BJP office.

The BJP leader also briefed about party’s plans to make Uttar Pradesh a safe place for women.

Highlighting the promises made by BJP in its manifesto for women, Irani said: “Every district will have three Mahila police stations to address cases related with women.”

Irani also pointed out that the party had proposed 100 fast track courts in the state for speedy disposal of cases related with women. It also plans a special investigation cell comprising 1,000 women.