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Congress leader’s remark on girls’ reproductive age backfires, BJP seeks apology
A senior BJP leader said it was unfortunate that Congress leaders continue to insult women but the Congress high command remains silent.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders demanded an unconditional apology from senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh minister Sajjan Singh Verma, over his remark on women’s reproductive age, made while responding to chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s recent suggestion that the minimum marriageable age of women should be raised to 21 years.
During a press conference in Bhopal, the former minister said, “15 saal ke baad hi bachchi prajanan yogya ho jati hai. Ye kya bade doctor ho gaye hain? (A girl develops the capability of reproduction after she turns 15. Has he (Shivraj Singh Chouhan) become a bigger doctor?”
The Congress leader’s remark drew a sharp reaction from the ruling party, the BJP.
“This showed the mindset of Congress leaders about women in the society. While chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s statement was in reference to empowerment of women by giving them equal legal status that men have in the society, the Congress leader’s remark was about women’s reproductive age,” said state BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal.
Continuing his attack, Agrawal said it was unfortunate that Congress leaders continue to insult women but the Congress high command remains silent despite the fact that the party is headed by a woman in Sonia Gandhi.
“It was during the by-polls in the state in November last year when the state Congress president called a woman candidate of the BJP an item. Even the Election Commission of India (ECI) found his remark to be objectionable and imposed a ban on his campaign for a day. Earlier, a state Congress working president insulted women by saying five daughters- demonetisation, GST, inflation, unemployment and recession were born in anticipation of a son i.e. development.”
State Congress, however, defended Verma’s remark, saying what he said was in reference to doctors’ views.
During a programme in Bhopal on Monday, chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had called for a debate to decide if the legal minimum marriageable age of girls should be raised to bring it on par with men’s.
