PATNA: Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui‘s remark that only “women with lipstick and bob-cut hair” would benefit from the women’s reservation has triggered a controversy with the BJP seeking an apology from him and describing Lalu Prasad‘s party as “anti-women”.
Addressing a gathering at Muzaffarpur on Thursday, Siddiqui had said, “If women with bob-cut hair, lipstick, and powder go to Parliament, other women from backward classes will not get their rights. Reservation should be given to backward and extremely backward women. There should be a fixed quota for the extremely backward women also.”
However, Siddiqui on Friday said his intention was not to hurt anyone. “Since I was addressing rural women, I used the language that they could understand. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. However, if anyone’s sentiment is hurt, I regret it,” Siddiqui said.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said the kind of language Siddiqui used for women was “disgraceful, shameful and condemnable”.
BJP’s state spokesperson Suheli Mehta said what Siddiqui said was actually the culture of RJD. “Former CM Rabri Devi should recommend action against Siddiqui. Otherwise, we will assume that RJD is an anti-women party,” he added.
Addressing a gathering at Muzaffarpur on Thursday, Siddiqui had said, “If women with bob-cut hair, lipstick, and powder go to Parliament, other women from backward classes will not get their rights. Reservation should be given to backward and extremely backward women. There should be a fixed quota for the extremely backward women also.”
However, Siddiqui on Friday said his intention was not to hurt anyone. “Since I was addressing rural women, I used the language that they could understand. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. However, if anyone’s sentiment is hurt, I regret it,” Siddiqui said.
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said the kind of language Siddiqui used for women was “disgraceful, shameful and condemnable”.
BJP’s state spokesperson Suheli Mehta said what Siddiqui said was actually the culture of RJD. “Former CM Rabri Devi should recommend action against Siddiqui. Otherwise, we will assume that RJD is an anti-women party,” he added.
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