Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has condemned political leaders remarks against women and directed officials to deal sternly with violators, news agency ANI said Friday.
Sources told ANI Mr Kumar’s reaction came during a review meet with district poll officers, municipal commissioners, and police chiefs before the November 20 Maharashtra election.
The Election Commission had earlier directed political parties and candidates to refrain from deeds, actions or utterances that will be repugnant to the honour and dignity of women.
Mr Kumar was reacting to controversy over comments by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant about Shaina NC, a BJP leader who joined the Shinde Sena faction to contest the election.
Mr Sawant’s comment was in response to a reporter’s question about Ms Shaina’s chances; she will contest the Mumbadevi seat that has been held by the Congress’ Amin Patel since 2009.
Responding to his remark, she said, “I am not some ‘maal’ (goods). I am a daughter of Mumbai… this is a crass comment by Sawant. I am a ‘mahila’ (woman) (and) everyone knows the Maha Vinash Aghadi (a play on the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition) does not respect women.”
She also slammed her rival – Amin Patel – for smiling at the remark. “Arvind Sawant called me ‘imported maal (goods)’ and Amin Patel was smiling. Would he have made this remark for his sister or wife?”
“I want to ask Uddhav Sena about Sanjay Raut’s statement… that there is no need to apologise because I am ‘imported’. Mr Raut, if you don’t have any objection… it shows your mentality!”
Mr Raut had said, “There has been no insult. Arvind Sawant just said Ms Shaina had come from outside (and) if she is ‘imported maal’, how is this an insult to women?”, and pointed out that similar jabs have always been levelled against Congress veteran Sonia Gandhi.
Mr Sawant later claimed that he had a good equation with Shaina NC and she may have misunderstood his comment. “It refers to ‘goods’, but she could have misinterpreted it. I had no such intentions,” he said. A police case has been registered against Mr Sawant.
The row was also picked up on by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who this week attacked the Congress-led INDIA bloc, of which the Sena (UBT) is a member, for its silence in the matter.
The opposition used “foul language” against a woman leader”, Mr Modi said in speech in Jharkhand, where too an election will be held this month.
“Mothers and daughters are in shock (and the) people will teach them a lesson,” he declared, also attacking the Congress for “humiliating” Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and a BJP candidate.