When the Opposition launched an attack on the BJP in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday over the controversial “prostitute” remark of its UP functionary, the ruling party also received flak over repeated references by its leaders to “presstitute” in the other House.
It was the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which has been a regular supporter of the government in Parliament, that slammed the BJP over the use of “presstitutes”—a term coined by Union minister VK Singh to hit out at his media critics.
While talking about the lack of dialogue between the government and the Kashmiri youth, BJD’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha, Tathagata Satpathy said, “We stop their newspapers, we stop their media and we ban everything. There are ministers who call the media bad names like presstitutes. I am ashamed to be in a democracy, in a country like India where ministers of dignity call the media such words.”
Singh was present in the House when Satpathy snubbed his remarks.
This came after the BJP’s UP vice-president Daya Shankar Singh’s remarks comparing former chief minister Mayawati to a “prostitute” triggered outrage and saw protests on the streets of UP.
{{/usCountry}}This came after the BJP’s UP vice-president Daya Shankar Singh’s remarks comparing former chief minister Mayawati to a “prostitute” triggered outrage and saw protests on the streets of UP.
{{/usCountry}}The BSP lodged an FIR against Singh for the derogatory remark. Uttar Pradesh Police said the FIR was lodged under the SC/ST act and the matter will be investigated.
Attacking the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief for allegedly selling party tickets, Singh, an upper caste Thakur, called the Dalit leader a “vaishya” while speaking in Mau.
Though he immediately withdrew his statement and apologised for the remark, it was enough for Mayawati to point out that Singh’s manners were indicative of the saffron party’s “growing frustration”.