Renuka Chowdhury can't use gender as shield: Smriti Irani

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury's inappropriate remarks called for a sarcastic reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Irani told media that it is not fair for Chowdhury to use her gender as shield.

"I was present there. I heard the kind of indecent remarks she was making on Prime Minister Modi. Is it justified that she makes indecent remarks and when those remarks are met sarcastically she makes gender her shield?".

Meanwhile, retorting to Prime Minister's remark against her, Chowdhury told ANI, "What else do you expect from him? I can't fall to that level to reply to him. This is actually called denigrating the status of a woman."

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi took a jibe at Congress leader who laughed out loud during his speech in Rajya Sabha.

When Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu objected to Chowdhury's interruption, Modi said, "Sabhapati ji, I request you don't say anything to Renuka ji. After Ramayan serial, we are now getting the opportunity to hear such a laugh."

Following that, all Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders roared in laughter and clapped.