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    Indian politics and misogyny: Here are some leaders who made derogatory remarks against women

    Rampant sexism has taken a toll on electioneering. As politicians engage in war of words, hardly do they realise that their misogyny is full plate

    Bismee Taskin
    April 19, 2019 / 03:30 PM IST
    Azam Khan | “People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But, I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears a khaki underwear.” Khan sure did witness a social media uproar and backlash for his foul language, and outrageous sexist jibe addressed towards veteran actor turned politician Jaya Prada, who is contesting polls against him in the Rampur constituency. The SP leader is barred by the EC from campaigning for 72 hours, enforced since 6 am on April 16.
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    Azam Khan, Samajwadi Party | “People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But, I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears a khaki underwear.” Khan faced social media backlash for his language and sexist jibe addressed towards veteran actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada, contesting polls against him in Rampur. The SP leader is barred by the EC from campaigning for 72 hours, enforced since 6 am on April 16.
    Firoz Khan | NCW on March 28 had issues a notice to SP leader Firoz Khan for his alleged remarks on BJP’s Rampur Lok Sabha seat candidate Jaya Prada. Media reports claim that Khan had called upon on the BJP candidate with this derogatory remark - “enthral the people of Rampur with her ghungaroos and thumkas”. Furthermore, he seemingly referred to Jaya Prada saying “Rampur's evenings are going to become "rangeen" (colourful) during this election season.” A subsequent case was registered at the Hayat Nagar police station.
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    Firoz Khan, SP | NCW on March 28 had issued a notice to SP leader Firoz Khan for his alleged remarks on BJP’s Rampur Lok Sabha seat candidate Jaya Prada. Media reports claim that Khan had called upon on the BJP candidate with this derogatory remark - “enthral the people of Rampur with her ghungaroos and thumkas”. Furthermore, he seemingly referred to Jaya Prada when he said “Rampur's evenings are going to become "rangeen" (colourful) during this election season”.  A subsequent case was registered at the Hayat Nagar police station.
    Gopal Shetty | Taking a dig at the Congress party’s listing of candidates, BJP’s Gopal Shetty turns offensive, claiming that Urmila Matondkar was chosen by the party solely on the basis of her looks. “Urmila ji has been brought to politics because she is a celebrity and because she is a celebrity, she has been brought due to how she looks, why anyone would feel bad about it, there’s no reason……” Shetty however doesn’t end his sexism here, in fact he also mocks the actor turned politician with “Urmila Matondkar is a bholi bhali ladki who is zero in politics." The BJP candidate from Mumbai North constituency seemingly refers to Urmila as naive and claims that she lacks political knowledge for contesting elections. (Image: Twitter)
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    Gopal Shetty, BJP | BJP’s Gopal Shetty went on the offensive by claiming that actor Urmila Matondkar was chosen by the party solely on the basis of her looks. “Urmila ji has been brought to politics because she is a celebrity and because she is a celebrity, she has been brought due to how she looks, why anyone would feel bad about it, there’s no reason… She is a bholi bhali ladki who is zero in politics." (Image: Twitter)
    Jayakaran Gupta | Addressing a rally in Meerut, BJP’s Jayakaran Gupta said “One Congress leader loudly asks if 'ache din' has come. He can't see the 'ache din'...Skirt waali bai has started wearing sari and visiting temples, those who hate Ganga jal are now visiting the Ganga.” The BJP leader went across the line, commenting on Priyanka Gandhi’s attire, demeaning her stance as a political figure in this outrageous jibe towards the flag holders of the Congress party. After his comment faced social outrage, Gupta refuted to saying that his remark was not intended to anyone in particular. (Image: ANI Twitter)
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    Jayakaran Gupta, BJP | Addressing a rally in Meerut, BJP’s Jayakaran Gupta said “One Congress leader loudly asks if 'ache din' has come. He can't see the 'ache din'...Skirt waali bai has started wearing sari and visiting temples, those who hate Ganga jal are now visiting the Ganga.” The BJP leader was commenting on Priyanka Gandhi. After his comment faced social outrage, Gupta said his remark was not intended for anyone in particular. (Image: ANI Twitter)
    Jaydeep Kawade | PRP leader and Congress ally Jaydeep Kawade said “Smriti Irani sits beside Gadkari and talks about changing the Constitution. Let me tell you a thing about Smriti Irani. She wears a big bindi on her forehead and someone told me that when a woman changes her husbands frequently, the size of her bindi keeps growing.” Kawade creates new saga of misogynism by commenting on Irani’s personal life, pertaining to her married life. His remark exposes the new low of sexism where he doesn’t spare a woman’s choice of bindi, and uses it to dissect her character. (Image: Twitter)
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    Jaydeep Kawade, PRP | PRP leader and Congress ally Jaydeep Kawade said “Smriti Irani sits beside Gadkari and talks about changing the Constitution. Let me tell you a thing about Smriti Irani. She wears a big bindi on her forehead and someone told me that when a woman changes her husbands frequently, the size of her bindi keeps growing.”  (Image: Twitter)
    Harish Dwivedi | In a derogatory slur hurled at Priyanka Gandhi, BJP MP Harish Dwivedi said “…..Everyone knows that when Priyanka Gandhi is in Delhi she wears jeans and top but dons saree and sindoor when she comes to the constituencies.” Dwivedi stoops ground breaking low in attacking the Congress leader, demeaning her political endeavours by conjuring her choice of clothing. Harish Dwivedi clearly tries to encroach Priyanka Gandhi’s freedom of choice of attire by invoking it with her political agendas. (Image: Twitter)
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    Harish Dwivedi, BJP | In a derogatory slur hurled at Priyanka Gandhi, BJP MP Harish Dwivedi said “…..Everyone knows that when Priyanka Gandhi is in Delhi she wears jeans and top but dons saree and sindoor when she comes to the constituencies.” (Image: Twitter)
    Surendra Narayan Singh | Continuing the Sexist fervour, BJP MLA Surendra Narayan Singh embarks ground zero commenting on BSP chief Mayawati’s anatomical features. He said “She takes facial every day. The person who herself takes facial daily is telling our leader that he is 'shaukeen'. Wearing clothes is not being 'shaukeen'. Colouring hair at the age of 60 to look young is 'shaukeen'. Her hair have turned grey but she colours it black.” Singh here directly launches an attack on Mayawati, condescending her choices of whether or not to colour her hair and jibes at it invoking her age. (Image: ANI Video)
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    Surendra Narayan Singh, BJP | BJP MLA Surendra Narayan Singh commented on BSP chief Mayawati’s anatomical features. He said “She takes facial every day. The person who herself takes facial daily is telling our leader that he is 'shaukeen'. Wearing clothes is not being 'shaukeen'. Colouring hair at the age of 60 to look young is 'shaukeen'. Her hair have turned grey but she colours it black.”  (Image: ANI Video)
    Sajjan Singh Verma | Striking the ultimate chord of misogynism, UPA’s Sajjan Singh attacks BJP candidate Hema Malini in an outright sexist plunge. He said “The BJP has no attractive faces…. It has only one good face - Hema Malini. The party makes her dance on the classical songs to woo voters. So, she gives appealing dance performances to earn votes for the party.” Sajjan Singh’s comment transgresses the wall of sexism, and enters into a darker shade of offensive remarks. The Congress leader joins the bandwagon of entitled sexist plunges by insinuating that Hema Malini’s only political turnout is that her ‘dance’ shall attract voters. (Image: ANI Twitter)
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    Sajjan Singh Verma, UPA | UPA’s Sajjan Singh attacked BJP candidate Hema Malini. He said, “The BJP has no attractive faces…. It has only one good face - Hema Malini. The party makes her dance on the classical songs to woo voters. So, she gives appealing dance performances to earn votes for the party.” (Image: ANI Twitter)
    Kailash Vijayvargiya | In an atrociuous sexist comment, BJP’s Kailash Vijayvargia said “….that's why they want to fight the elections using "chocolatey" faces...Priyanka would not have been brought into active politics if there was confidence within the Congress on (party chief) Rahul's leadership.” Vijayvargiya certainly refutes to attacking the credibility of the Congress leader by seemingly referring her as a “chocolatey” face. He then demeans Priyanka’s stance in active politics by claiming that Congress’ lack of confidence is the only reason for her entry into the party. (Image: Twitter)
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    Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP | Kailash Vijayvargia said “….that's why they want to fight the elections using "chocolatey" faces...Priyanka would not have been brought into active politics if there was confidence within the Congress on (party chief) Rahul's leadership.” (Image: Twitter)