Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi and National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma exchanged words after the former's INDIA ally Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made some remarks on the importance of women's education to control the population. Addressing the Bihar Assembly, Nitish Kumar made quite a graphic description of how educated women can restrain their husbands during sexual intercourse and thus, highlighting their role in population control, erupting laughter among the sitting members and triggering flak from the political parties who have termed the comments as “misogynistic, vulgar and patriarchal”.
"The husband's acts led to more births. However, with education, a woman knows how to restrain him... this is the reason the numbers (of births) are coming down," Nitish Kumar said in a rustic style. The video has since gone viral on social media. Note: LiveMint wouldn’t be using the viral video for its graphic content.
As Nitish Kumar’s video surfaced on online, NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma sought an immediate apology, saying his “cheap remarks” were a dark stain on our society.
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“I demand an immediate and unequivocal apology from the Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar. His crass remarks in the Vidhan Sabha are an affront to the dignity and respect that every woman deserves. Such derogatory and cheap language used during his speech is a dark stain on our society. If a leader can make such comments so openly in a democracy, one can only imagine the horror the state must be enduring under his leadership,” she said on X (formerly Twitter).
In another post, Rekha Sharma also tagged Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi, and Atishi from AAP to condemn Nitish Kumar’s remarks. Rekha Sharma said, “It will be good if the champions of the women's cause @priyankac19 @priyankagandhi @BDUTT @AtishiAAP and their friend join in to condemn and demand apology from @NitishKumar.”
The remark did not go down well with Priyanka Chaturvedi who insinuated that the comments were politically motivated.
“My dear biased, politically motivated Madam, I do unequivocally condemn any language used for women which is derogatory-irrespective of my politics, even if it comes from an ally. I am also certain that Chief Minister will revisit his usage of words and apologise. Unfortunately as far as I recall, whenever we expected you to stand up for women, you chose selective silence and selectively action- doing a huge disservice to your chair as NCW which is supposedly non partisan,” Priyanka Chaturvedi said.
Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar has issued an apology over his comments. “I apologise and I take back my words," he said.
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