BJP MLA's remarks against Mayawati show party's 'anti-women mentality': Cong

The Congress on Sunday said the remarks by a BJP MLA in Uttar Pradesh calling BSP chief Mayawati "worse than a transgender" were "absolutely condemnable" and exposed the saffron party's "anti-women mentality".

Mughalsarai BJP MLA Sadhana Singh made the controversial remarks at a rally on Saturday while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

"Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with those who disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person," Singh alleged.

Reacting to the remarks, Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said the words used by the BJP MLA were "absolutely condemnable" and shameful.

"I believe she owes the women of the nation an apology besides apologising to Mayawati Ji. What I find absolutely unfortunate as a woman is that a woman leader speaks such derogatory words about another woman," she said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has time and time again exposed its "anti-women mentality" right from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has used language which is "sexist and misogynist" inside Parliament and outside, and refused to apologise for it, she alleged.

"Whether it is for Sonia Gandhi, whether it is for our Congress women leaders...We have had many of their chief ministers come forward with their own anti- women mindset and statements which are derogatory in nature," Chaturvedi said.

It clarifies and also shows that the BJP continues to endorse their anti-women agenda and anti-women mindset, she said.

If the BJP can't take action against Singh it will clearly prove that such remarks are not just endorsed, but encouraged, the Congress leader said.

The Trinamool Congress also reacted sharply to the remarks, with senior party leader Derek O'brien saying: "We condemn the obnoxious language used against Behen Mayawati Ji.