Congress MP Randeep Surjewala
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a blistering attack on Congress MP Randeep Surjewala for his “vile, sexist” comments directed at Mathura MP Hema Malini, asserting that it exposed Congress’s misogynistic stance and disdain for women. Surjewala, however, countered by stating that only selective segments of his speech were highlighted by the BJP’s IT cell, emphasizing their tendency to “distort facts and propagate falsehoods.”
The Haryana Women’s Commission summoned Surjewala on April 9 to address his remarks.
Surjewala faced severe backlash from the BJP after Amit Malviya, the head of the party’s IT department, shared an undated video wherein the Congress MP was heard making objectionable remarks about Hema Malini.
“Congress MP Randeep Surjewala makes a vile sexist comment, which is demeaning not only to Hema Malini, an accomplished individual, but to women in general,” tweeted Malviya. “This is Rahul Gandhi’s Congress. It is misogynistic and derogatory towards women,” he added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also criticized Surjewala, predicting that women would deliver a strong message to them in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “When the opposition fails to find a suitable candidate against Hema Malini ji, they resort to using derogatory language against her,” remarked the Uttar Pradesh CM.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla remarked that Congress’s sole identity seemed to be disrespecting “nari shakti” (women power), citing the recent controversy over derogatory remarks against BJP leader Kangana Ranaut allegedly made by Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate. The post targeting Ranaut, BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, was subsequently deleted, and Shrinate claimed it was posted by someone with access to her accounts.
SURJEWALA ACCUSES BJP OF MISREPRESENTATION
Amidst criticism for his remarks, Surjewala accused the BJP of distorting facts and spreading falsehoods. He shared another excerpt from the same video in which he expressed respect for Hema Malini because she is “married to Dharmendra ji, she is our bahu” (daughter-in-law).
“My intention was not to insult Hema Malini ji or hurt anyone. That’s why I explicitly stated that we respect Hema Malini ji. The BJP, being anti-women, views everything through its misogynistic lens and conveniently spreads falsehoods,” asserted Surjewala in his statement.
Surjewala portrayed BJP’s actions as an attempt to divert attention from the government’s “anti-youth, anti-farmer” policies. “These BJP pawns never questioned the Prime Minister about his ’50 crore ki girlfriend’ remark, the derogatory term ‘Surpanakha’ for a woman MP, trolling of a woman Chief Minister, reference to Congress leadership as a ‘jersey cow’,” he criticized.
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