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Bandi Sanjay’s remark on Kavitha stirs triggers row
Hyderabad: A comment made by Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president Bandi Sanjay on Bharat Rashtra Samithi lawmaker Kalvakuntla Kavitha evoked strong protests from BRS leaders and cadres across the state
Hyderabad: A comment made by Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party president Bandi Sanjay on Bharat Rashtra Samithi lawmaker Kalvakuntla Kavitha evoked strong protests from BRS leaders and cadres across the state.
Speaking at a BJP Mahila Morcha meeting at the party headquarters on International Women’s Day on March 8, Sanjay was referring to a query posed by some reporters about the possible arrest of Kavitha by the Enforcement Directorate authorities in connection with the Delhi liquor scam.
“They asked me whether Kavitha could be arrested. What will they do if not arrest her? Will they kiss her?” he asked.
On Saturday, the clipping of his comment went viral on the social media, triggering outrage among the BRS leaders and cadre. State education minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy said such a comment showed lack of decency and culture on the part of the BJP state president.
“Sanjay has insulted the entire womenfolk with such a derogatory comment. He should tender an unconditional apology to Kavitha and all women,” Sabitha said.
State women development and child welfare minister Satyavathi Rathod also condemned Sanjay’s comment. “After Sanjay became the BJP state president, his party lost all its values. He has no respect towards women,” she said.
The BRS leaders staged protests across Telangana and also in New Delhi, demanding stern action against Sanjay.
A few BRS women leaders from the Secunderabad Cantonment lodged a complaint with Begumpet police station demanding action against him, while similar complaints were lodged at the Vanasthalipuram and SR Nagar police stations.
Party leaders and cadre also staged protests at different junctions and raised slogans against the BJP state president and demanded that he should tender an apology to Kavitha. At several other locations in Hyderabad, effigies of Sanjay were burnt as part of the protests. In the national capital too, the BRS leaders staged protests at Telangana Bhavan and burnt his effigies.
The BRS leaders led by Hyderabad Mayor G Vijayalakshmi took out a procession to Raj Bhavan to give a memorandum to Governor Tamilisai Soundarajan seeking action against Sanjay, but were denied entry into the premises, stating that they had no permission.
The Telangana state women’s commission took suo motu cognizance of Sanjay’s comment against Kavitha and directed Director General of Police Anjani Kumar to take action against the BJP president.
“The comments made by Sanjay on Kavitha were highly objectionable. These comments affect the self-respect of women in the state,” commission chairperson Sunitha Laxma Reddy said in a statement.
She said notices would be served to the BJP state president to appear in person before the commission.
Meanwhile, Sanjay refused to comment on the controversy. “I have not received any notices from state women’s commission. If summoned, I shall go and present my version,” he said.
BJP Mahila Morcha, however, said the BRS was trying to blow an off-the-cuff comment from Sanjay out of proportion only to divert the people’s attention from the Enforcement Directorate questioning of Kavitha.
“He was just referring to a common phrase used in Telugu which means if someone does crime, would you appreciate or punish. The BRS leaders are deliberately portraying it as a insult to woman, only to create unrest in the state,” BJP mahila morcha national executive committee member Akula Vijaya said.
