Newly inducted Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Sushma Swaraj's daughter Bansuri Swaraj on Monday slammed Youth Congress president Srinivas BV after he allegedly called Union minister Smriti Irani a "daayan" during a protest. Swaraj said the Congress cannot tolerate that Irani wrested Amethi from Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha election.
“Indecent remarks of the Youth Congress president show the mentality of the Congress. Smriti Irani is our big leader who defeated Rahul Gandhi in his bastion. They can't tolerate that and are making such remarks,” news agency ANI quoted Swaraj as saying.
Swaraj entered into active politics after she was appointed as co-convener of the legal cell of BJP's Delhi unit on Friday.
{{/usCountry}}Swaraj entered into active politics after she was appointed as co-convener of the legal cell of BJP's Delhi unit on Friday.
{{/usCountry}}The youth Congress reacted strongly to the charges, claiming BJP leaders were sharing a doctored video of he speech made by Srinivas to tarnish his and the party's image. “It is nothing but a disinformation and fake news campaign initiated by BJP supporters and office bearers,” it said in a statement.
Srinivas made the alleged comment at the Congress's Sankalp Satyagrah at Rajghat on Sunday to protest against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha after he was convicted by a Surat court in a defamation case.
In a clip of his speech delivered in Hindi, Srinivas can be heard saying, "The BJP means inflation. These same people in 2014 used to say that there is inflation witch which has been made to sit... Smriti Irani has become a little mute and deaf. That witch (Daayan)... Inflation witch (Mehengaai Daayan) has been made a darling and made to sit in the bedroom."
The BJP used the clip to target the Congress and Srinivas BV, while also recalling similar instances where grand old party leader made alleged "sexist" remarks.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla tweeted, “The Congress has become a cesspool of misogyny, hatred for women especially if she comes from a humble background & defeats an entitled dynast.”
Meanwhile, the Youth Congress president on Monday defended his remarks and said he did not say anything wrong.
While speaking to ANI, Srinivas said, "When the price of a gas cylinder was ₹400, she (Smriti Irani) used to say about the Manmohan Singh government that there is a mehengaai daayan. Now, the price has increased to ₹1,100 and that 'daayan' has turned into a darling and made to sit here. This is what I said yesterday. What is wrong in this?" he asked.
The leader also tweeted the full video. He said, “Play the full statement not half incomplete, I have quoted the statement given by you before 2014”.
(With inputs from agencies)