Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women Swati Maliwal said politicians like Janata Dal(United) leader Sharad Yadav and Bharatiya Janata Party MP Vinay Katiyar must resign and be punished for making “horrendous sexist statements”, PTI reported on Thursday. On Wednesday, Yadav had said that “the honour of a vote is greater than a daughter’s honour”, while Katiyar had courted controversy by saying there were “prettier star campaigners than Priyanka Gandhi”.
The DCW has demanded FIRs against the politicians, saying it will seek the Delhi police commissioner’s intervention in the matter. Maliwal said the country lacked appropriate laws to try politicians guilty of making such statements.
On Wednesday, Union minister Venkaiah Naidu condemned Katiyar for his derogatory statement on the Congress’ Priyanka Gandhi and said the party does not subscribe to his views. Naidu also criticised Yadav for his comments. Earlier in the day, Priyanka Gandhi had laughed at Katiyar’s remark and said he “exposes the BJP’s mindset towards the better half of the population of India”. Her husband Robert Vadra expressed shock at the misogynist remarks and demanded an apology from Katiyar.
The National Commission for Women issued a notice to Yadav for his comments, which he had denied were wrong.
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