'Digvijay Singh's remarks on Congress MP embarrassing'

BJP Mahila Morcha President Saroj Pandey says the senior leader's remarks on Meenakshi Natarajan shows his 'mental bankruptcy'

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BJP Mahila Morcha President Saroj Pandey on Friday launched a scathing attack on Digvijay Singh over his remark on party MP Meenakshi Natarajan, which has a sexist connotation, saying it is an embarrassing statement and shows the 'mentally bankrupt' mindset of the Congress General Secretary.

"It is a very awkward statement. And I feel that the statements in which Digvijay Singh has expressed his feeling towards women is a matter concerning the entire Congress leadership and the manner in which they see women. If a Congress leader sees his own party Member of Parliament from this perspective then I would just like to ask that how does he see his female leader, who is also the Leader of the House," said Pandey.

 

Pandey further said that the insensitive comments of politicians like Digvijay Singh were also one of the main reasons for the growing attacks against the feminine gender.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury earlier defended Digvijay Singh's 'sau taka tunch maal' description of party MP Meenakshi Natarajan, and said that it should be seen "as a compliment" in the context in which it was said.

"If you are saying that he has said it in a context of praise, then it must be looked upon as a compliment. When you are reporting, you must also see in what context a statement is being made. When statements are made in local constituencies, the local context is very different from that which is interpreted differently outside that context," she said, while attempting to downplay the controversy.

Earlier in the day, Natarajan herself attached little importance to Singh's comment, saying that she took no offence at the remark.

"His statement has to be looked at in complete perspective. He has appreciated my work. I am not offended with Digvijay Singh's statement," she said.

Digvijay Singh, who was speaking at a rally in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, earlier in the day, praised Natarajan by first pointing out that she was hardworking, a social worker, Gandhian, honest and ended by calling her 100 percent 'tunch maal'.

The remark on Meenakshi Natarajan, who is a senior Congress leader and also the AICC secretary, when translated from Bhojpuri to English generally understood: "100 percent sexy woman."

Digvijay Singh had earlier on Thursday sparked off a controversy by sticking to his comments that the Batla House encounter was a fake one. His comments came even as a Delhi Court convicted one person for the murder of Delhi Police inspector Mohan Chand Sharma.