'Sexist, Misogynistic': BJP Raps Surjewala Over Remark On Hema Malini; Haryana Women Panel Sends Notice To Leader

The Bharatiya Janata Party launched a scathing attack on Congress MP Randeep Surjewala for his ‘vile sexist comment’ against the saffron camp’s MP Hema Malini. However, the grand old party has claimed that only selectively parts of the speech were put out by the BJP.

BJP’S ATTACK ON CONGRESS & SURJEWALA

BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took to X and said, “Congress MP Randeep Surjewala makes a vile sexist comment, that is demeaning and derogatory, not just for Hema Malini, who is an accomplished individual, but women in general.

“He asks, “MLA/MP kyun banate hain? Taaki vo humari awaaz utha sake, humare baat manvaye, isliye banate honge. Koi Hema Malini toh nahi, jo chatne ke liye banate hai?” [“Why make MLA/MP? So that they can raise our voice, get our views accepted, that is why they must be making it. It is no Hema Malini, who’s made to lick?”], Malviya’s post read.

Malviya further wrote, “Who thinks of women as something to lick? That is the most disgusting description someone can come up with. Just the other day, Surjewala’s colleague was asking ‘rate’ of another BJP woman leader, and now this…”

The BJP leader said that this “Rahul Gandhi’s Congress is misogynistic and abhors women”.

Meanwhile BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi, Kangana Ranaut also took a jibe at the Congress in a post on X. She said that the party was talking about “opening a shop of love but it has opened a shop of hatred”.

“Congress leaders, who have degraded views towards women, are deteriorating their character day by day in frustration and despair of inevitable defeat,” Ranaut added.

BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also hit out at Congress and said that their only identity is to insult womanpower. “Narishakti’s ‘Apmaan’ is Congress’ only ‘Pahchaan’. This has been yet again established by the cruel, crude, obnoxious, disgusting, misogynistic and sexist statement by Randeep Surjewala…,” Poonawalla said.

He went on to say, “He has said ‘Janata’ as ‘Rakshas’ in the past. No action has been taken against him… They have always been ‘Mahila Virodhi’. Narishakti will definitely punish them in this election for the kind of mindset they have shown.”

RANDEEP SURJEWALA’S RESPONSE

In response, Surjewala told CNN-News18 that the saffron camp “selectively put out parts of his speech” from Kaithal on Wednesday.

The Congress MP also posted the full video on X and said, “Listen to the full video – I said, “We also respect Hema Malini a lot because she is married to Dharmendra ji and is our daughter-in-law.”

He added that he was focusing on the point that “everyone should be accountable to the people, be it Nayab Saini Ji, or Khattar Ji, or myself”.

“Neither did I intend to insult Hema Malini ji nor to hurt anyone. That is why I clearly said that we respect Hema Malini ji and she is our daughter-in-law,” Surjewala clarified in his X post.

HEMA MALINI’S RESPONSE

Reacting to Randeep’s remark, BJP MP Hema Malini said, “It is their work to speak against me. They are in opposition and they will speak against me.”

“Modi ji is giving respect to women, who else is giving so much respect?” Malini asked, adding that, “They (Congress) should learn something from Modi ji.”

Representing Mathura, BJP leader Hema Malini has been nominated from the constituency for the third time for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

HARYANA WOMEN COMMISSION SENDS NOTICE TO SURJEWALA

Haryana Women Commission sent notice to Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala over his ‘indecent remarks’ against BJP MP Hema Malini. The commission has asked Surjewala to appear before it on April 9.

It has also sent a notice to Congress’ Haryana unit president asking him to take action in this matter and submit a report.