SP's Agarwal will be served notice for 'extremely derogatory' 'Rand' remark: NCW

National Commission of Women (NCW) chairperson Mamta Sharma on Saturday said the commission would send a notice to Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal to explain his indecent remark about women.

"With regard to Naresh Agarwal's remark, I think, it is very unfortunate that a leader of his caliber makes such statements. I will send him a notice and ask him to answer on what basis he made the statement. If it is possible, I will even ask him to come and meet me on this. This is not a question of a single woman, it is a question related to every woman of the country," Sharma said.

Sharma also explained that the word 'rand' could have multiple meanings, and said Agarwal's usage of the word irrespective of its prescribed context was extremely derogatory and unacceptable.

"I am from Rajasthan and this is considered a very indecent word. Not only is it used in reference to a widow, but it is also sometimes used in an extremely derogatory manner. I think that political leaders should know what words to use while describing women of our country. They probably have women in their families, and it is not acceptable at all to use this word in the context of any woman," she said.

On Friday, while taking a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Agarwal sparked off a controversy by saying: "Hamaare gaon mein kahawat hai, rand se ashirwad lene jaao, woh kehti hai hamaare tarah ban jaao. Yehi BJP ka haal hai-woh kehte hain, humari tarah ban jao." (There is an idiom used in my village that says when someone goes to take blessings from a 'rand', she asks the person to become like her.