Not new to stirring a political uproar for his remarks, senior BJP leader and party’s candidate from Kalkaji Ramesh Bidhuri has yet again created controversy by stating that he will develop smooth roads of his constituency if he wins like Congress Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Gandhi’s ‘cheeks’.
“I assure you that just as we made the roads in Okhla and Sangam Vihar, we will make all the roads in Kalkaji like Priyanka Gandhi’s cheeks,” Bidhuri is heard saying in the purported video, which went viral on social media. This comes at a time when the Delhi assembly elections are just a few weeks away with the AAP and Congress calling the statement ‘anti-women’ and cornering the BJP over the issue.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Bidhuri claimed that he made the statement with no intentions to hurt anyone’s sentiment and both AAP and Congress should reflect on their own behaviour towards women before pointing fingers at anyone.
“When it comes to Congress, they forgot what statement former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Yadav made on BJP MP Hema Malini. Is she not a woman? He was in their cabinet. Did they ask him to apologise? Moreover, did AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal not insult women by calling Atishi a ‘temporary’ Chief Minister? Does he not trust that a woman can win the elections on her name? Their MLA Naresh Baliyan has also made similar statements but they did not have any problem with it,” he remarked.
Reacting to the AAP and Congress making this a poll issue, he said that their situation is best explained through a phrase ‘khisyaanii billii khambaa noche’ (an embarrassed or ashamed person tends to vent his/her feeling by quarrelling). “They have nothing else to do so they are making this an issue. Congress is engulfed in corruption while AAP has no vision for Delhi. What will Atishi say to the public that we will improve the dilapidated state of roads in Kalkaji and Govindpuri in the next five years when they have already ruled for a decade?” he questioned.
“Some people are making statements on social media for political gain with a wrong perception based on a statement given by me in some context. My intention was not to insult anyone. But still if anyone has been hurt then I express my regret,” Bidhuri also said in a post on X.
However, even Bidhuri’s party members are trying to distance themselves from the controversial remarks with Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva asking BJP leaders to keep a control on their language. “I have not heard the entire statement of Ramesh Bidhuri but I think that all the women, who are in politics, face a lot of difficulties. So, we should not use such statements and keep control on our language,” he said.
The BJP leader added that he would also tell Congress that when such remarks are made against BJP’s MP Hema Malini, they don’t stop it. “Having said that, respect for women and control over our language is our duty and such statements are not welcomed by us,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi strongly criticized Bidhuri for his ‘sexist’ remarks, calling it a ‘reflection of the BJP’s anti-women mindset’. She also questioned the BJP’s ability to ensure women’s safety in Delhi, given the attitudes and behavior displayed by its leaders.
The Kalkaji MLA further expressed her confidence in the people of Delhi, particularly women, to respond to such actions in the upcoming elections. “I believe that not only the people of Kalkaji but also the citizens of Delhi, especially the women, will give a fitting response to the BJP for these comments and this mindset in the upcoming elections,” she added.
Congress candidate from Kalkaji and Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba lashed out at Bidhuri and accused him of “insulting” women once again in his “usual indecent language”. “Will the public in Kalkaji have such (a person) who cares neither for the dignity of the House (Parliament) nor respects the women,” she said in a post on X.
She demanded Bidhuri to tender a public apology for his statement and asked the senior BJP leaders to clear their stand on the issue. The Mahila Congress workers led by Lamba also torched an effigy of Bidhuri over his alleged statement against Gandhi.
The statement was made by Bidhuri during campaigning in Kalkaji constituency on Saturday, one of his aides said. Delhi Congress President Devender Yadav said that Gandhi has stood for women empowerment and Bidhuri’s objectionable statement reflected BJP’s anti-women attitude. “If BJP respects the women of the country, it should ask Bidhuri to tender a public apology forthwith,” he said.
The former two time Lok Sabha MP from South Delhi and three time MLA from Tughalaqbad constituency is not new to controversies surrounding his public statements. Earlier last year, Bidhuri invited widespread condemnation over his outburst during a Lok Sabha session, targeting then BSP MP Danish Ali. His behaviour was referred to the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha.
