Women ministers shouldn't act like slaves of PM: Moily

Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily on Thursday said women ministers of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) should not act like slaves of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Talking to ANI, Moily slammed female ministers for defending PM Modi over his comment against Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

"Some women ministers have said that Renuka Chowdhury deserved the comment from PM, of course they are entitled to defend the PM but this comment was against a woman. They should not act like slaves of the PM," Moily said.

Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday said 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?" Irani said.

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

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

Chowdhury had protested the remarks but the chairman did not allow her comments to go on record.

Later, 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.