‘Goongi Gudiya’ jibe at Sunetra Pawar sparks political row

Congress made the remark after Sunetra left a press conference in Beed last week without responding to questions from reporters.

MUMBAI: Emotions ran high among NCP leaders and the Mahayuti partners after the opposition Congress addressed deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar as ‘Goongi Gudiya’, ironically leaning on a criticism that was once directed at former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Thane, India - August -04, 2026: Congress state president Harshavardhan Sapkal referred to Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar as a “gungi gudiya,” triggering strong reactions from workers of the( Ajit Pawar camp) Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). NCP workers staged protests outside several thane Congress offices in response to the remark. ,in Thane ,in Mumbai, India, on, Tuesday, August -04, 2026. ( photo by Praful Gangurde / Hindustan Times )

Congress made the remark after Sunetra left a press conference in Beed last week without responding to questions from reporters.

The remark quickly turned into a political slugfest, with the ruling Mahayuti accusing the Congress of misogyny. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis described the remark as “low-level,” while NCP workers barged into the Congress office in Colaba to protest what they called was an “objectionable” comment. Rallying behind Sunetra, Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde said, “The Congress has lost its wisdom. I strongly condemn and denounce the words used by the party to insult Maharashtra’s first woman deputy chief minister. They should immediately apologise.”

State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal however defended the statement as “appropriate”, even as protesters burnt Sapkal’s posters in Thane.

On her two-day visit to Beed last week when reporters sought answers on several issues, especially on the law and order situation in the district, Sunetra did not respond to a single question. Instead, NCP MLA Dhananjay Munde intervened and prevented a journalist from asking further questions while she immediately left the room.

On Monday, the Maharashtra Congress shared a video clip of the incident on its Facebook page, with the comment: “Sunetra Pawar, for how long will you remain a ‘Goongi Gudiya’?”

NCP leaders were quick to retort saying the statement reflects Congress’s prejudice against their party president. Munde said, “Everyone is aware of the difficult circumstances she has endured. Despite her personal grief (following the death of her husband and party chief Ajit Pawar) she has stepped forward to serve the people. Instead of recognising her commitment, the Congress has chosen to mock her.”

Rejecting the allegation that it was an abusive or an unparliamentary phrase, Sapkal said: “She is being detrimental to democratic values and public discourse by choosing not to answer questions and allowing an MLA to silence journalists on her behalf. That is why the term ‘Goongi Gudiya’ was used.”

Sapkal further accused the deputy chief minister of choosing to remain silent on several issues, including the demand for an investigation into the plane crash that claimed her husband’s life. He also pointed to her remaining quiet when the state finance department was not allotted to her party, describing it as “BJP’s encroachment on the party’s political space”.

Reacting to Sapkal, Fadnavis said, “They (Congress) have stooped to an extremely low level. As no one is taking notice of them, they have resorted to such tactics to remain in the headlines.”

The term ‘Goongi Gudiya’ has a significant place in Indian political history. It was famously used by former PM Indira Gandhi’s critics during the early years of her political career. The perception however changed after she played a decisive role in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, following which Gandhi came to be regarded as one of the country’s strongest leaders.