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'Women can't enter politics without...': Pappu Yadav's remarks draw notice from Bihar women's panel
The controversy comes amid a political backdrop where the government’s Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, aimed at implementing women’s reservation.
The Bihar State Women’s Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of remarks made by independent MP Pappu Yadav on women, saying that politicians “prey” on women and that they can't enter politics without going to a “male leader's room”.
The state women's body has issued a notice to Yadav, seeking his response within three days on why he made the statements and why his Lok Sabha membership should not be cancelled.
What did Pappu Yadav say?
The notice follows a series of remarks by Yadav on the condition of women in society and politics, while talking about the recent women's reservation amendment bill which was defeated in Lok Sabha over disagreement on the issue of delimitation.
Pappu Yadav said, "...In India, women are called goddesses, but they will never be respected here. System and society are responsible for this."
"Who is indulging in domestic violence? Who preys on women, from America to India, it is politicians! 90% of women cannot start in politics without going to a male leader's room," he said.
"A culture of exploiting women has become ingrained," he added.
"Go to school, and your daughter faces exploitation; go to college, and exploitation in the name of ragging; go to the office, exploitation is there as well...," Yadav said. "Leaders behave like vultures toward women."
Also Read | Pappu Yadav granted bail in a 3-decade-old forgery case, to remain in custody in another case
Backlash for Pappu Yadav's remarks
Reacting to the remarks, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said:
“Shocker statement! When nation was pushing for Nari Shakti see what Cong supported MP is saying! Controversial statement by MP Pappu Yadav on women surfaces,” Poonawalla wrote on X.
"He said that 90% of women cannot do politics without going into a leader's room. This is their mindset," he added.
Also Read | Remarks of U’khand min’s husband on Bihar women spark outrage
Why the remarks?
The controversy comes amid a political backdrop where the government’s Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, aimed at implementing women’s reservation and increasing the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816, was defeated in the lower house last Friday.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the BJP-led government would remove every obstacle in the path of women’s reservation, asserting that the defeat of the Constitution Amendment Bill does not mean "we have lost".
In his address to the nation, Modi also attacked Opposition parties for opposing the Constitution Amendment Bill, which was linked to delimitation, and targeted the Congress in particular.
