Former MP's remarks against Rahul Gandhi kick off row in poll-bound Kerala
The remarks has irked the Kerala unit of the Congress with party leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala demanding an apology from Joyce George for his misogynistic remarks.
A politician's remarks against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has kicked off a major row in poll-bound Kerala. Joyce George, a former independent MP, said on Monday that it was not proper for girl students to take martial arts lesson from a bachelor.
George made the remarks while addressing a rally in Idukki on Monday night.
"The Congress leader goes to women's college these days and imparts special lessons to girl students. We all know he is unmarried," he said. This comes days after Gandhi gave Aikido lessons at St Teresa's college in Kochi on the request of a student during his visit to Kerala last week.
The remarks has irked the Kerala unit of the Congress with party leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala demanding an apology from George for his misogynistic remarks.
The Congress also said that it will file a complaint with the police against the leader.
Embarrassed CPI(M) has kept away from the controversial statement. The CPI(M) said it has nothing to do with the statement, adding that it was George's personal comments. "We will oppose him (Gandhi) politically not personally," chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Tuesday morning.
The women wing of the Congress party took out a rally outside the state secretariat seeking the arrest of former MP.
George won as the CPI(M) supported independent MP during 2014 Parliament election from Idukki.
Gandhi has been campaigning extensively in Kerala for the Assembly polls. Recently, during his campaigning in Kollam, he took a dip in the sea with fishermen.
The election for 140-member Kerala Assembly will be held on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
The Congress is contesting 91 seats in the Assembly polls.